Final Fantasy X: Rebirth
by Bios13
Summary: FFX Novelization. Currently Under Heavy Revision.
1. Chapter 1

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter One

Even since his earliest memories, there had always been something about watching the distant sunset that captivating him, those wondrous moments in which those cotton clouds and burning sunlight shifted between the brightened afternoon and the shrouded evening. Around an hour earlier the stratosphere had been painted in an unending cerulean and those few present clouds seemed crafted from the purest cotton, without even the slightest whisper of unwanted weather. That burning sphere was now beginning to descent into the distant waves and the horizon was slowly becoming touched with that fiery mixture of color. Within those same few moments those warm colors would surrender into shades of blue and purple as it moved into the majestic twilight. The ominous horizon would then become dominated by the evenings shadows and those celestial beings would begin speckling the darkened sky alongside the silver illumination of their single moon.

Another sunset happened everyday and had somehow remained impressive now as in his younger years, since then he had stopped to watch the western horizon's transformation in over one thousand evenings. It was something beautiful which could have been appreciated by anybody, regardless of where their personal destinies had carried them. Considering these rather unique beliefs, it was understandable that he would feel sympathy for those incapable of witnessing this endlessly repeating even from the ocean, upon the waves and were so far from the obstructing glow of the northern metropolis.

These moments were something that he had always savored during his infrequent, ritualistic training voyages that usually carried him several miles into the unclaimed waters of the northern oceans, usually lasting for several days between those arranged confrontations. He had discovered earlier in his unusual career that while floating upon the open sea and your body was burning from another day of extreme training, there was no better moment for one to witness the perfection of this recurring majesty.

Although he possessed unending opportunities, he had never expressed personal desires to travel to any of the other exotic civilizations that existed beyond the horizon of the northern oceans. Although he regularly traveled alongside his homeland's finest blitzball players, his attention always remained focused on those arranged confrontations. Although he often wondered about their different societies and different cultures, he never doubted that these distant countries possessed the same sunrise and sunset. He never doubted that there were other worlds either, these personal beliefs being justified by the countless celestial sparks that dotted the shadowed horizon. Perhaps there would be other people there and perhaps there would be further natural beauty that couldn't have been sculpted by mortal artists. In those moments however, he would question whether or not these different worlds would share the same horizon.

Of course, those moments of twilight had already passed and those celestial sparks were dotting the northern horizon. The observant and appreciative individual in question found himself piloting his floating home through the twisting straights that would lead to the central stadium. Skillfully maneuvering through the sparkling waterways of the northern metropolis, recognized by the rest of the world as Zanarkand.

While the majesty of the machina city's existence might have eventually been lost upon the citizens, those from other parts of the world quickly took notice that the entire civilization had practically been constructed upon the northern waters. Regardless of where one might have found themselves looking across the civilization, there was nowhere throughout the entire metropolis where one could not identify the impressive level of co-existence that existed between the metropolis and the elements. Doubtlessly the most technologically advanced civilization upon the planet, the northern metropolis flaunted their achievements somewhat drastically.

Should anybody have been fortunate enough to arrive via airship, they would quickly notice that the city had been painstakingly constructed upon an extensive collection of waterfalls that collapsed downwards in the shape of a massive crescent. Intimidating skyscrapers sprang up from the mists of the falling water and were interconnected through an overtly complex system of levitated highways, water surface bridges and subterranean tunnels. Across the three levels of the civilization existed an impressive variety of buildings which were often constructed upon the surface of these waters. The private mansions of the civilization's most prominent individuals could often be seen build onto the edge of the waterfalls, allowing the greatest views of the proud city.

Towards the central level of the civilization one could see the enormous stadium that resided in the northern districts of the grand civilization while the tallest buildings of government resided within the center of the metropolis and towered over even the highest falls. Throughout the world it was realized, there was absolutely nothing that couldn't be found in the northern metropolis which offered promises of both freedom and pleasure. Those visiting the northern paradise would often question how anywhere could afford the necessary energy until they realized that those crushing waterfalls served as an unending energy supply through an incredibly complex system of hydro-electric generators. Those were also those eight enormous pillars of cerulean that could be seen from almost any part of the metropolis were one component that operated to ensure that the flow would never encounter problems. Truly, Zanarkand was an orchard of pleasure and everyday was filled with promises of a brighter tomorrow.

Zanarkand was absolutely alive with excitement and impatience as the ultimate competition in the history of Blitzball was steadily approaching with only another hour remaining. Blitzball fanatics numbering nearly one hundred thousand had gathered within the almost sacred walls of the world's most technologically advanced stadium to witness the battle that would soon take place within the sphere pool. Those that had been unable to obtain tickets to this historical event had packed themselves into every open restaurant and tavern that would have them, while countless others had organized gatherings in their homes to watch the competition on the telecast.

To the inhabitants of the northern metropolis, there was absolutely nothing more important that evening than the competition that would be taking place within the hour. However, there were many that had managed to obtain their tickets and were awaiting the arrival of the young man that had doubtlessly become the most popular players amongst all sixteen teams.

At least one hundred of these same dedicated fans had gathered on the docks that were situated near the same levitated skybridge that would carry them to the main entrance of the colossal stadium. The small mob of sports fans standing near the section of the docks that served as the address to the infamous player during the blitz season. These people were those hardcore fanatics that distinguished themselves amongst their peers that showed their loyalty to their favorite players by personally wishing them luck prior to the competition. These were the most dedicated admirers and currently several of them were awaiting the arrival of their own living legend.

They had not been waiting long when suddenly somebody appeared from down the dock where they had been awaiting his arrival and shouted out to the crowd that had been socializing with one another "Hey everyone! He's coming!"

Whatever conversations had been established quickly dropped from attention. Whatever concerns that had been addressed were bluntly ignored. Whatever conflicts had been established were swiftly severed. Everybody suddenly found themselves moving without hesitation towards the end of the harbor where they spotted the same infamous luxury cruiser reestablishing an ominous presence in the assigned location. These hardcore fanatics were practically trembling in anticipation as the powerful engines of the floating home were abruptly silenced and the illumination on the inside of the vessel darkened into nothingness.

The random chatter quickly reverted to speechlessness as the entry ramp lowered to touch the stone of the harbor and the door on the other side of the vessel was sharply brought into closing. The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard somewhere on the hardwood deck of the floating home and seemed to echo the heartbeats of the fanatics until the source stepped across the ramp and into the illumination of the harbor lights.

The silence remained as everybody found themselves looking upon the unprepared persona of their favorite blitzball player, who now stood before them dressed rather casually considering the arranged confrontation that he would inevitably be moving towards within the hour. He was wearing a simple pair of lightweight black slacks and shoes that he had been wearing during his afternoon training session, while his torso was covered by a dark blue sleeveless shirt and an official black jacket that bore his team insignia on it.

The crowd remained silent as he stepped forward carrying one black duffle bag under his left arm and everybody became suspicious when he suddenly stopped. There was then an explosion of cheers as he suddenly thrust one clinched fist into the air and smirked with an established confidence that would have inspired any team towards victory. This was to be expected from the star player of Zanarkand's A-East Abes.

The Blitzball Ace stepped forward with polished bravado as his loyal fans screamed and cheered for him to bring them that ultimate victory that both teams would be fighting tooth and nail for within the hour. The official sports bag remained hanging over his left shoulder as he approached the crowd, secretly hoping that the musk of his afternoon warm-up session had not stuck too broadly to his athletic physique. Perhaps good fortune looked upon him with favor as the pleasant scent of the foaming seawater easily overpowered his own embarrassing natural odors.

He retained possession of the sports bag that contained his uniform and other miscellanies supplies as he moved towards the three little leaguers that had secured the front of the line and had brought along their own blitzballs. To his amusement he found that these dedicated fans were a trio of youths that couldn't have been any older than nine or ten. These children immediately approached him carrying three of the many blitzballs that were officially recognized by the northern league, which could be determined by the blue and white color scheme. They were also wearing officially licensed clothes that bore the insignias of the Zanarkand Abes and that seemingly ancient rune that had been worn by the team's MVP for the last ten years.

Despite the considerable time management crisis that would have caused many of his comrades and opposition to simply push their way through their adoring fans, the prodigy blitzer casually retrieved the waterproof sharpie that rested in his pocket. He looked to the first child and with a smile motioned for him to pass the ball.

The blitzball struck him in the chest and he quickly secured the heavy orb with his arm before scratching his name under the official logo of the northern league and in one smooth movement returned the ball. Considerably excited by the unorthodox approach that was being presented to them, the second child tossed his own blitzball to the blitz ace with fierce gusto. The blitzer effortlessly snatched the ball from the air and bore his mark into the surface before dropping it to the ground and softly punting it back into the child's grasp

The third child narrowed his eyes before he suddenly drew back the ball and tossed it at the blitz ace who allowed the orb to strike his hand in the palm. He couldn't help but smile when he noticed that this third blitzball had gone through some considerable usage and was painted in the signatures of four other teammates. This third youth obviously understood the sheer value of having any league-used blitzball, not to mention the signatures of some of the highest scoring players in the league.

"Nice throw there short stuff." the blitz ace chuckled before moved by the trio and suddenly rested the ball on the third child's head before swiftly scratching out his name on the ball. The humbled boy was quick to retrieve the heavy blitzball and found himself somewhat prided by the superior player's compliment and gazed at the name that had been written out in heavy black ink.

That name was Tidus Ashtear. Team Captain and Star Player of the Zanarkand A-East Abes.

"Can I have your autograph?" another one of the fans suddenly questioned him as he found himself confronted by two rather attractive young woman around his own age. The initial speaker, a leggy brunette in pink attire, offered him her own ball with much less gusto than those three children that had come before her. Tidus wordlessly smiled as he took the clearly unused blitzball from her grasp and calmly scratched out his name rather quickly. Although appearing enthralled by the attention of his loyal fans, he already realized that the clock was ticking

"Good luck tonight." her heavily tanned friend stated as she passed him her own blitzball and he was forced to accept it and spend another few precious seconds scratching out his name. Tidus quickly noticed that the ball that he had been presented with possessed the same color patterns that had been replaced around twelve years ago and was absolutely covered in various signatures. The astonished blitzer almost clamped his teeth down on his tongue when he noticed the opposing signature above the official logo, the surname of the other marking matching his own and giving him an urge to send the precious sphere sailing into the shadowed horizon. The young blitzer's unresolved problems having driven him to memorize the patterns of this signature in the attempt to remove any similarities from his own. The young woman eventually noticed his hesitation to return the blitzball "Something wrong?"

"Nothing to worry about." Tidus responded as he spun the ball off the tip of his index finger and then gracefully returned it to her before his marker could be brought to obliterate the senior signature from existence. This young woman was either completely dedicated to the affairs of the massively popular sport or she was planning on someday selling the autographed blitzball. These unfortunate situations rarely presented themselves, but there was nothing which the prodigy blitzer would have rather avoided. Whatever she was planning, it really wasn't his business and questioning the young woman wouldn't have been in his best interests. Tidus forcefully brushed off this encounter by turning his attention to the other supporters that had surrounded his floating home.

"We'd better get moving ladies and gentlemen, we all know that the clock is ticking." the captain announced around twenty-four handshakes and seventeen autographs later. The recent arrival casually adjusted his duffel bag before those surrounding him began moving off, clearly not willing to have their registered seats stolen from them. The star player of the Zanarkand Abes was quick to begin putting some distance between himself and his floating home, thrusting his unoccupied fist into the air and inviting forward even louder cheers from his adoring public.

Those roaring screams vanished into the distance as he turned and began running towards the massive highbridge that would carry both the star blitzer and the audience to the main entrance of the colossal stadium. It was within this intimidating architecture where this arranged confrontation would be taking place. The two northern champions would be battling in the sphere pool tonight, fighting without restraint in their struggle to receive their ultimate victory. Tidus continued running until his pace carried him beyond the sight of those that had been attempting to follow him all the way to the stadium entrance.

It wasn't much later that the prodigy blitzer found himself just down the highbridge from the magnificent stadium and slowed into casual walking. The immediate situation was breathtaking, the young blitzer stopping momentarily to adjust his duffel bag before proceeding forward, allowing himself to take in the views that were presented by a night shrouded Zanarkand. The skyscraper apartment buildings and luxurious hotels that had been constructed around the stadium were regularly the most cherished living quarters, one especially beautiful sight was the artificial waterfalls that rushed down the sides of some buildings and back into the reservoirs. There was obvious some manner of celebration taking place on a number of the penthouses that he could plainly see from where he stood on the overpass. The outcome of this match would be going down in Blitzball history and just about everybody was eagerly awaiting to see some considerable effort from both sides.

The prodigy blitzer was prepared to deliver.

Tidus found his movements brought to an abrupt halt, suddenly finding himself confronted with an ominous presence which could have shattered his most flawless evening. An infernal frustration materialized within his heart, an enormous electronic billboard positioned in the middle of the nearby skyscraper building upon these negative feelings. There was no surprise that this one monolithic building served as the headquarters of the northern blitzball league. Tidus seethed as he glared towards the billboard, one of the countless publications that could have been found scattered across the metropolis. Following around two months of being around, there was surely nobody in the northern capital that had not heard about the arranged confrontations that would be going down within the next hour.

It was this specific publication that possessed the necessary information which included the title of the approaching tournament and the official seal of the league. There was even a holographic clock included below the massive billboard that was counting down to the opening match of the upcoming tournament. The various spectators and blitzers would have doubtlessly been checking their watches and attempting to arrive at the stadium even quicker. Tidus Ashtear was different. Instead, he found himself particularly interested in the main article of the publication which almost seemed to be mocking him with it's innocent presence

The meat and potatoes of the tournament's advertisement was the broad image of a middle-aged man who stood in defiance of the camera that had taken the picture, two muscular forearms crossed and his tattooed chest proudly pushed out like an invincible shield. The man on the billboard possessed an imposing athletic physique that had most definitely been crafted through endless hours of grueling physical training and ambitious practice. He possessed overgrown chocolate brown strands that was held back from his vision by a tattered crimson bandanna. The imposing individual was completed by an unshaken expression of superiority was accompanied by an unshaven stubble on his chin. There was a metallic armguard on his left arm which was also crossed over his chest and although one couldn't recognize it from the picture that was cropped off near his chest, there was a large bladed tattoo across his muscular chest. The publication remained ambiguous concerning his standard clothing, but gave considerable attention to the golden emblem and matching chain which looped around his neck.

It seemed rather unbecoming that while countless citizens might have discovered inspiration from this powerful advertisement, the prodigy blitzer discovered nothing beyond that same relentless indignation. Anybody might have noticed the young man glaring up toward the proud with an unmistakable expression of unresolved negative emotion. Simply allowing his sapphire gemstones to cross over the main article of the publication's central figure brought about these unwanted feelings of deep-seeded loathing. Then there some slight depression, another reminder that despite various promises and constant therapy, the young blitzer had failed to peacefully resolve these inner conflicts. Without any other recourse available to him, he found himself suppressing these feelings by pushing himself wholeheartedly towards the game and attempting to forget the horrible person to whom this tournament was dedicated.

The legendary blitzer known worldwide and considered to be the greatest blitzball player to have ever participated in the international championship. Notorious amongst countlessly blitzball players, both freelance and professional, as an unstoppable and unblockable force under the translucent waters of the sphere pool. Infamous throughout the countless businesses connected to blitzball as an extremely shrewd negotiator and uncompromising businessman. Incredibly popular amongst interviewers and celebrities for the incredible existence which started with an unfortunate childhood. Recognized around the northern metropolis as the deceased husband of the governor's daughter and the biological father of their three children, including their newest prodigy blitzer. . . Jecht Ashtear.

The frustrated offspring remained entranced by his own introverted struggles for several moment, inwardly battling to maintain his composure upon himself. His attempts dramatically increased upon noticing the hundreds of hopeful spectators moving down the highbridge and towards the stadium. The found himself thankful that these people were much too focused upon securing their reserved seats to acknowledged the lamenting blitzball player. Tidus eventually regained himself and started running down the highbridge, one hand lashing out towards his father's digital portrait that had naturally become the advertisement for the tournament.

He managed to restrain himself from shouting out any of the venomous insults or degrading remarks which were rushing through his consciousness. Once again his fingertips were crushing into his palms and his molars were grinding lightly in the back of his mouth. He actually found himself wanting nothing more than to enter the sphere pool and slam himself into somebody. He managed to continue forward without difficulty after turning his back on the promotion, moved down the skybridge towards the stadium. Hopefully, everything would continue this smoothly.

The blitzball player grasped the shoulder strap of his duffel bag as he moved down the highbridge where many others found themselves watching the large monitors that were outside the main entrance of the stadium. Apparently, these loyalist had been unable to obtain proper seating. Primarily decorated with two ancient statues on either side, depicting valiant and powerful warriors preparing for an imminent battle that would ultimately determine the greatest champion. Countless banners depicted over five decades of blitzball championships decorated the exterior of the massive stadium and brought forth the realization that anybody entering the superstructure already possessed some fragment of that legacy. Tidus breathed, feeling some underlying sympathy for those that found themselves unable to be closer to the action.

"Coming through! Coming through!" Tidus shouted as he casually pushed through the various fanatics that were waiting on him, carefully moving people aside an approaching the main entrance. The prodigy blitzer was honestly hoping that these fanatics would remain civilized concerning his presence, but soon found himself monitoring his personal belongings from these grabbing vultures. Unwelcome fingers brushed across his black jacket and another apparently believes there would be some unofficial souvenirs in the exterior pockets of the duffel bag. Tidus moved forward once more, stepping between people and eventually stopping before another unintentional barricade "Hey! I'm gonna be late!"

"Hey! Get your hands off me!" Tidus shouted when he took notice that somebody was suddenly standing before him and reaching for the platinum necklace that was never removed from around his neck. The blitzball player instinctively squeezed his hand around the precious platinum charm that dangled around his collarbone and attempted to continue around the ambitious fanatic.

"Hey! Back off!" Tidus shouted before pushing the would-be bandit backwards. Prepared to protect his most precious possession, the blitzer quickly removed the necklace and slipped it into his inner jacket pocket. There was some obvious hesitation before the man suddenly made another move for the younger man and attempted to rip the expensive sports jacket from his shoulders. Confronted without cooperation from the younger man, the fanatic grabbed the prodigy by the collar and prepared to become physical with the young athlete.

"Knock it off! Damn it!" Tidus demanded loudly before lashing out his left arm to push the man back into striking distance. Without even considering the consequences, the assaulting fanatic attempted to close the distance when the blitzer's closed fist suddenly struck him in the mouth. The man screamed random profanities in response before rushing again, much to the shock of the surrounded crowd and security personnel. Tidus Ashtear deflected one careless punch and retaliated by introducing his right fist to his opponent's stomach.

The opposition coughed as he dropped to his knees and then rolled onto his side, cradling his punished abdomen and groaning something about lawsuit. The security guards immediately stepped forward from the main entrance, realizing there could have been potential violence in the honorable admirers. Tidus breathed heavily before he straightened his jacket and proceeded uninterrupted into the stadium, unwilling to tolerate the approaching newscasters. Shortly following his dismissal from the main entrance, both security personnel and the furious fans began escorting the ambitious pickpocket away from the hallowed grounds that he had so shamelessly violated

The blitzball player roughly exhaled once he had managed to escape the gaze of the public and hesitantly removed the precious platinum necklace that almost everyone suspected had once belonged to his father. It was another rumor which the newscasters were tossing around, especially considering that it had been presented to him by his mother several years earlier. Tidus couldn't understand these people constantly attempting to make connections between the deceased father and surviving son. The ancient emblem was something discovered several generations earlier and eventually inherited by his deceased father. Tidus believed more than anything, that these people simply couldn't recover from his unforeseen passing around one decade earlier, and it was becoming more pathetic with these memorial tournaments.

Several moments passed before Tidus reached behind his neck and reconnected the chain, huffing sharply before proceeding into the stadium and hoping that his opponents might provide the opportunity to blow off some steam. Considering the amount of tension that was being created within his mind and body simply by figuratively playing in his father's shadow, there was some considerable negative energy that needed release. While it remained unknown to him, that this tension was only destined to become much greater and no amount of throwing physical blows would be capable to relieve him of it.

END OF CHAPTER ONE

Author's Note: Prospective readers that have either played the actual game or read other novelizations have doubtlessly noticed the manipulations to the normally cheerful and upbeat main character of Final Fantasy X. Perhaps you have already guessed, but this novelization is essentially another author's envisionment of the original game which will probably involve further changes to the original plotline that will hopefully be enjoyable to everybody. I have been wanting to either novelize FFVII or FFX as an emotionally powerful fantasy epic, eventually settling upon this wonderful game because of the recency and because there is more that can probably be enhanced. I am currently requesting reviews from prospective readers containing their impressions in the opening chapters, perhaps constructive criticisms and perhaps suggestions for the future. Thank you in advance for your responses.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X. It belongs to Square-Enix.


	2. Chapter 2

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Two

Zanarkand, machina metropolis to the north, never ceased to amaze him.

The watcher had never been capable of completely understanding his own unending fascination with the technologically advanced society that he found himself immersed in, but it was always something. Sometimes the reason was that there was always something new to be learned or realized about the surrounding world, although the majority of the inhabitants failed to understand the importance of educating oneself. Sometimes the reason was that there was an uncountable number of different cultures and philosophies that were so readily accepted and tolerated, without concern of the repercussions that might follow. Sometimes the reason was how the citizen's possessed the ability to so carelessly ignore the problems of the world around them while they lived their lives in leisure, even when neighboring countries were making rather bold threats. However, his attention was focused upon something beyond the everyday problems of the northern metropolis.

Tonight he found himself awaiting with great difficult that which nobody else could have possibly realized was coming, wordlessly awaiting that unspeakable darkness that would be descending upon them within the hour. Everything was building to those horrible moments when everything that they had spent their entire existence taking for granted would be plummeting into those same azure depths on which their kingdom had been constructed, forever stripped of that wondrous majesty that seemed noticed anymore by the newcomers and foreigners. Absolutely everything that anyone had ever cherished or neglected would become irrelevant as they battled alongside one another for ultimate survival. Those countless other machine kingdoms would find themselves trembling the next morning, trapped in despair as their populations awaited the same horrible destiny. It would continue as it had been foretold, that the existence of the entire world would undergo an irreversible change that couldn't have been stopped by anything or anybody.

Such knowledge brought tremendous discontent upon the watcher. The knowledge that he possessed not the power to protect these innocent people. The understanding that he possessed not the right to attempt changing anything beyond what had been promised.

* * *

Tidus Ashtear was breathing heavily as he transversed the monotonous corridors of the stadium, aggravated and disgusted following the unexpected encounter that had taken place before the main entrance of the powerful superstructure. Following the unwanted confrontation, the prodigy blitzer was absolutely desperate to get to the locker rooms before some wretched newscaster managed to locate him and begin questioning him on the scuffle just moments earlier. The young professional was already rattled enough by his own inexcusably tardiness, not to mention the knowledge that this memorial tournament seemed to be ignoring the actual championship. The entire population seemed focused upon how the tournament was mindlessly praising the memory of the legendary blitzer that had arrogantly redefined the sport countless times, Jecht Ashtear.

Regardless of the constant suffocation of the more fanatical supporters and the occasional physical confrontations with those unstable individuals, there was nothing that blatantly aggravated the young prodigy more than being compared to his antagonistic father. Throughout his entire career it seemed that everyone involved in the business believed him to be some reincarnation or carbon-copy of his deceased parent. Whenever the young professional viewed the evening telecast, he found his own considerable achievements being compared to and essentially overshadowed by his father's recorded footage from several years earlier. Those beloved teammates weren't exactly pleased either, considering their own individual achievements were overlooked in constant favor of these pointless comparisons. Fortunately, several of them sympathized with their captain concerning the media's inability to release the memory of his legendary father and recognize the modern champions.

Anybody possessing this seemingly exclusive knowledge would have found it completely understandable that the young blitzer wanted nothing more than to charge headstrong into the sphere pool and tackle a few members of the opposition into the hospital. Considering that this tournament was being internationally recognized as the ultimate blitzball championship, everybody present on either team found themselves prepared to confront their worthy opponents without mercy. Ironically enough, the opening match would be played between the A-East Abes and their long-running rivals, the C-South Duggles. Actually bringing these two legendary teams against one another in the opening match removed any doubts that every one of these energized players would eventually be getting their chance.

Several moments later, Tidus found himself entering his beloved team's locker rooms where he noticed his teammates putting themselves through their standard routines in preparation for their approaching match. There was still around twenty minutes remaining before the officials would be summoning them to the outer ring of the sphere pool and the young blitzer was prepared to make the most of this opportunity. Without even realizing the amount of negative energy he was displaying, he immediately moved towards the nearest bench and retrieved his towel from his sports bag along with some soap and shampoo. He then approached one of the various showers and cranked the steaming water without second thought. The young blitzer shamelessly stripped down before entering before entering the vacant shower where he finally managed to wash away the musk from that afternoon's extreme training regiment.

Around ten minutes later, the prodigy blitzer stepped from the shower completely refreshed and wearing a pair of form fitting blue boxers that gripped around his waist and traveled about halfway to his knees. One of those official towels was dragged over his back as he moved towards one of the various sinks and activated the cold water, taking several precious moments to wash his face, the applied cleanser ripping the impurities from his pores. He breathed before looking up into the mirror that was displayed before him, his attention become somewhat divided as he examined his own reflection in the glass sheet.

Tidus was almost compelled to compliment the image of his own reflection, an athletic young man that stood with an intimidating amount of pride and confidence in his own ability. Unruly dark blonde hair created a spiky mess on his head while his soaked bangs patterned around a pair of sapphire blue gemstones which held an enthusiastic gaze. His complexion was almost flawless and the summer tan was vanishing with the approach of autumn, though he could remember several times he had been burnt by the glare of the sun. His approving smirk displayed a collection of fine-looking teeth that he could not help but appreciate, having witnessed the fate of those that were unable to give their own the necessary attention. It had been the opinion of the several people that his fair features and work shaped form would make him very popular with several eligible young women once he managed to achieve greater celebrity status. However, settling down was just about the last thing on his mind.

Completing his inspection of himself he immediately returned to his duffle bag where he dragged out the first component of his uniform which was essentially a short sleeved yellow jacket that was notably unzipped to display his toned chest. The next component of the uniform was a pair of nonporous black shorts and suspender jacket that were essentially designed to be used underwater and would increase his mobility in the sphere pool. His feet were covered in a pair of thick socks before he laced up the black and yellow boots that served as another part of the uniform. The next additions involved a pair of black nonporous gloves alongside a bronzed metallic armguard that he slipped over his left arm, disturbingly similar to his father before him. He breathed as he dropped back onto the bench and added one of the final components to the uniform, another sleeve that zipped onto his shorts bearing the crimson seal which was reserved for the MVP of the Zanarkand Abes. The seal that both Jecht and Tidus shared.

Tidus Ashtear took a few moments to settle himself before he stood to his feet, feeling prepared for the challenges that were awaiting him. Removing an unimpressive padlock from the pocket of his uniform, he abandoned his sports bag in one of the supplied lockers and thoughtlessly closed the bolt around the latch. He then proceeded to move down the nearby hallway after the other members of the team, those who had already begun their approach to what was essentially their modern battlefield. The young prodigy walked at a leisurely pace as he removed a silver chain and tribal bracelet from the pocket of the black shorts and closed the them around his armored wrist, apparently two small trinkets of victorious fortune. The blitzball ace gave an amused smile as the game ball was tossed to him by one of the stadium's operators that had been waiting for his arrival and then ushered him forward into the darkness of the stadium.

Tidus softly chuckled as he stepped down into the temperate water that was lapping around the outer ring and slowly reclined in order to get a feel for the temperature, the white and blue form of the blitzball tucked against his hip. The audience and the arena were both shrouded in the shadow of the closed stadium and everybody that found themselves awaiting the activation of the sphere pool. The blitzer's eyes slowly slipped closed as he attempted to close everything from his mind with the exception of the opening match and the unavoidable conflict that would be brought with it.

The familiar sound of the whirling mechanics and the heavy confrontational music that began playing over the loud speakers brought his eyelids to snap back open, his cerulean pupils flaring with an awakened adrenaline. The prodigy blitzer suddenly found that combative persona emerging to the serenade of the heavy metal and warped vocals that seemed to introduce the imminent confrontation as another world beyond their own. Another world with another horizon.

That single enormous ring that stabilized the creation of the sphere pool was rotating and grinding against the edge of the outer ring, several inches from where the established prodigy found himself sitting. The resulting gravitational forces produced by the ring served to gather the crystal clear contents of the stadium's reservoir into an orb that crackled with energy in the center of the arena, growing larger with every passing second. The audience cheered with thunderous applause as the young blitzer dramatically stood to his feet and moved onto the outer ring with the game ball at his side and an unshakable confidence in his stance.

Several in the audience erupted with gasps of shock and awe as the orb of energy suddenly exploded outwards and dragged the water that was collected in the reservoir of the stadium up into the expanding orb. The visible energy was quickly replaced with the water of the reservoir and became the sphere pool that halted just inches from the outer ring.

The holographic projectors that produced the field and the goals activated like clockwork, all the while the stadium began opening up to produce an incredible view of the cloudless evening sky that loomed above them. Within moments the two team captains on either side of the arena found themselves joined by their other five teammates that would be valiantly fighting alongside them. The audience possessed that anticipated division between the two opposing teams, considering that both of them had driven themselves hard to achieve their success and both were composed of the leagues most professional and talented players. The opening match would doubtlessly claim the loudest shouting.

Already realizing that there was no more time for warm-ups and no more time for personal pre-game rituals, all of them fearlessly jumped forward from the outer ring and towards the enormous sphere of crystal water. All of them penetrated into the sphere pool without resistance, unbelievably breaking the surface tension and never allowing a single drop of water to strike the emptied reservoir. This was another one of the northern civilizations technological achievements, created from the same technology that provided their limitless energy, the planet's only gravity-contained sphere pool.

The blitzball they would be using was quickly handed over to the black-and-white dressed referee who found himself weighted down at the bottom of the sphere pool, probably the most secure location from the extremely physical athletes. Meanwhile, the two opposing teams proceeded to the center of the sphere pool with the exception of the two goalies who would obviously be optimizing their own defense. The referee was taking his time preparing the ball on the pressurized mechanism that would send the blitzball hurtling upwards once the game began, meanwhile the two captains found themselves practicing an equally sacred tradition that usually only took place during the finals.

Adrienne Xellus, the captain of the Duggles casually moved away from his ground and to the exact center of the sphere pool where the star player of the Abes intercepted him. The two young men both nodded before moving their armored hands into a very professional handshake, proving that both of them were reasonable sportsmen. Once this handshake had ended Xellus continued the practice as he created three distinct hand gestures with his gloved hands.

The first brought his thumb and index finger into the shape of an 'L' before his thumb quicky closed to rub against the tips of his index and middle fingers. The third symbol of his submerged sign language involved bringing his index fingers and thumbs together into the shape of a circle to which Tidus smiled and flipped an approving thumbs up. Although everybody throughout the stadium was probably confused by this unorthodox communication between them, the unspoken words essentially involved Xellus questioning if the loser would be buying the pizza while Tidus confirmed the agreed conditions.

Within moments these two favorite teams of the northern metropolis had retreated back to their assigned positions with incredible speed and found themselves prepared to take their opponents down that pathetic amount of money that would probably seem like lunch money to most anybody. Of course, like many things between the two longtime rivals it was considered to be some matter of principle that had existed long before the central figure of that evening's illustrious tournament had even been thought about. There was absolute silence from the crowd right up until the point that the blitzball suddenly spun with the motion of the pressurized platform which had been elevated to be located at the very bottom of the sphere pool. Seconds transformed into minutes until that precious orb or white and blue was suddenly catapulted into the air, leaving the two center fielders to make their opening attempts for possession of their treasure.

The moment the whistle was blown, Tidus Ashtear found himself to be alive, never even contemplating that within moments everybody that he had even known would be dead.

* * *

There was considerable doubt that anybody within the deafening territory of the stadium would have heard the panicked screaming that was being issued forward from the remainder of the population, even as they all found themselves running down the streets and across the bridges in absolute terror. Anyone that possessed any manner of motorized vessel were quickly moving to leave the northern metropolis the moment they spotted the incredible danger that was lurking over their horizon. Anybody that found themselves near any of the submerged tunnels quickly gathered their belongings and quickly moved to the security that seemed to be offered. Anybody that found themselves possessing residence in those enormous buildings that scratched the clouds were following an incredibly misinformed sense of security by returning to these places. Those significantly unprepared military forces also found themselves struggling to regain organization amongst their own population, even as they were beginning to line some of the more important streets and highways. 

The mysterious wayfarer that had anticipated the inevitable destruction of the northern metropolis found himself walking nonchalantly amongst the crowds that were screaming in terror and running in the hopes that they might somehow preserve their existence. Those powerful metallic beasts that rolled along the ground and hovered within the clouds foolishly unleashed their judgment upon the emissary of darkness in the form of fire and thunder. Despite those soldier's perceived power, they quickly discovered that there was no stopping this bloodthirsty juggernaut that had been summoned upon their privileged civilization. The soldiers that both inhabited and surrounded these fighting machines hastily abandoned them as the creature swatted them from existence, that crushing power that was expelled from the abominations spherical form tearing these insignificant opponent's asunder.

The mysterious wayfarer might have expressed some manner of sympathy had he not realized several years before that this terrible disaster was inevitable and unavoidable. He realized beyond any doubts everything that would transpire within the next hour would forever change the fate of the world.

* * *

Regardless of the various indications that had been presented to him, the star blitzer couldn't have possibly anticipated the ferocity of the competition that had been displayed within the opening moments of the world broadcasted Jecht Memorial Cup Tournament. Nobody representing either of the opposing teams found themselves willing to display anything less than the greatest extent of their established skills and physical limits. Those professional players that clashed against one another within the sphere pool probably couldn't have cared less about the championship, as they found themselves fighting valiantly in the attempt to honor the memory of their deceased legend. With everybody attempting to shine with the same polished ability and endless talent as Jecht Ashtear, this opening match had quickly become one of the most intense blitzball games of the entire season. 

The pointlessness of screaming underwater was something everybody would have probably realized during their first moments of swimming in open water, so Tidus Ashtear found himself roaring within the depths of his heart as he furiously thrust himself into the position to intercept an opposing pass. Two small bubbles of precious oxygen escaped his closed teeth as the heavy blitzball slammed into his chest and the intended catcher suddenly latched himself against the blonde blitzer's back in the attempt to retrieve the blitzball. Tidus responded immediately in pulling the ball between both his hands and passing it towards another one of his own teammates, unable to be identified over the distance of the sphere pool.

The attacker released his opponent and immediately pursued the blitzball which had already been exchanged to another one of the Abes, located towards the edge of the sphere pool and being surrounded by the opposition. The distant player began by swiftly swimming upwards before suddenly chucking the blitzball towards the lowest regions of the sphere pool to avoid being sacked. Tidus quickly responded by rapidly kicking himself towards the more pressurized regions of the pool, his hands snatching up the blitzball just moments before the opposing team captain pursued him. Xellus' approach would have doubtlessly humbled even the most carnivorous sharks, unfortunately his ferocity became pointless the moment Tidus relinquished control of the blitzball to another teammate across the sphere pool.

Xellus turned and followed the other three C-South Dougles as they immediately pursued the wandering blitzball towards the anticipated catcher. Tidus began swimming higher into the sphere pool as the opposition positioned themselves against the lone catcher. Both professional teams understood the importance of their drawing first blood during this historical evening. Regardless of who would inevitably claim victory and who would suffer defeat, the first goal of the evening would belong to them throughout eternity.

The supposed catcher never bothered snatching the ball however, turning himself and kicking the blitzball towards another blitzer exceptionally close to the Abes' designated goal. The distanced player effortlessly snatched the blitzball near the edge of the sphere pool, but never saw the opposition that suddenly bared down upon him. Tidus couldn't recognize her as her deceptively slender form slammed his teammate against the barrier of the sphere pool, his grasp on the blitzball fading with the impact. She retrieved the ball and immediately began positioning herself towards the opposing goal, the muscles in her right leg already prepared.

These brilliantly executed maneuver were completely shattered however, when Tidus Ashtear was suddenly sighted darting towards her without any visible restraint against his own deceptive strength. Those natural combative instincts had brought him to anticipating the scheme as his teammates placed themselves on the defensive. Everybody in the crowd seemed to scream with bloodlust and adrenaline as the two offensive blitzers collided within the silent recesses of the sphere pool. The female blitzer being viciously slammed against the gravitational barrier, the collective force mercilessly catapulting her from the sphere pool and into the awaiting audience above the outer ring.

The stadium announcer's voice could be heard commenting loudly on the unbelievable offensive maneuver, even as the living legend retrieved the dropped blitzball and immediately tossed it towards one his teammates positioned opposite of their own goal. Tidus Ashtear looked down upon the female blitzer as his arms proudly crossed his broad chest, several members of the audience snapping hundreds of photographs within a manner of seconds. The star player was most amused when the female blitzer angrily recollected herself and began sprinting back towards the sphere pool. Doubtlessly she would probably be punishing him for his interference before the evening ended.

Tidus Ashtear swiftly turned and launched himself back into the battlefield as the female blitzer jumped from the audience and back into the sphere pool without any regard to her possible injuries, never minding that the audience had completely broken her fall. The blitzer prodigy meanwhile watched from his defensive position near his own protected goal as two of his teammates had managed to claim first blood against the C-South Dougles followings some impressive teamwork. They collected their own photo opportunity as they glided through the water eventually coming alongside one another and slapping their hands together victoriously. Screams of congratulations and moans of discontent seemed to create an unappetizing cocktail as the divided audience thoughtlessly displayed their reactions to this evening's earliest goal.

Quickly noticing the established confidence radiating within his beloved team as the blitzball was repositioned on the pressurized catapult, the star blitzer decided there wouldn't be any better opportunity to humble their opponents. His excessive tardiness before the game was essentially excused by the considerable planning throughout the entire week. Their young captain pointing towards the opening in the top of the sphere pool essentially prepared them to execute what was perhaps their most daring maneuver of the season. Perhaps even the maneuver that would remove their young captain from under the constant shadow of his legendary father's own admirable achievements.

Regardless, everything would be completely in vain.

* * *

The mysterious wayfarer found himself completely unprepared to glance over his crimson robed shoulder as the floating monstrosity devoured another one of the northern civilization's mightiest towers, various fragments plummeting upon the bridges and pathways. Countless more precious reservoirs had been completely drained within moments and that imperative element was launched back against the defense forces with incredible accuracy and velocity. Explosions continued ripping across the metropolis as the enormous monster approached the stadium, which seemed to be roaring louder than the cannons of those machina dragons and chimeras. Doubtlessly the monster viewed this opposing creature as an unwelcome opponent that required unquestionable defeat and those vicious animal instincts carried the abomination forward. 

The mysterious wayfarer continued walking, completely undeterred by the infernal monster unleashing chaos and misery upon the northern military over a distance that couldn't have been more than three kilometers behind him. The foreshadowed wanderer mentally reassured himself that those privileged inhabitants of this technological advanced civilization wouldn't have believed his outlandish claims should he have brought warnings before them. His unfortunate knowledge of the inevitabilities that were doubtlessly approaching the machine metropolis prevented him from revealing compassion or concern towards the screaming individuals that were rushing past him. There was absolutely nothing he could have possibly done besides continue following this infernal journey which he had accepted and anticipated nearly ten years earlier.

Despite that passage of an entire decade, he continued to abhor being destiny's messenger.

* * *

Within moments of the latest play, an unforeseen speechlessness was unleashed across the stadium's inhabiting population and was replaced by everybody audibly questioning exactly what was happening before them. Everything went down during that intense moment when the blitzball was seconds from being launched upwards that the Zanarkand Abes planned to redefine the greatest moments in blitzball. Tidus Ashtear shattered formation almost the instant the blitzball was catapulted upwards and his various teammates assaulted the opposition without even acknowledging the loose blitzball. The captain and star player that had ordered these unorthodox tactics meanwhile evacuated the surface of the sphere pool in the same moment as the swirling orb of white and blue. 

Tidus Ashtear was suddenly airborne above the sphere pool and the professional blitzball players from either side of the confrontation found themselves floating in shock and amazement. Jecht's son possessed an absolute determination boiling within his vision as his cerulean glare was turned to the horizon and then began tipping backwards along with the rest of his surprisingly graceful athletic figure. That purified crystal liquid of the sphere pool dripped from his outstretched arms. The refreshing chill of the passing breeze almost massaged the slightest soreness of his soaked frame. Tidus then found himself inverted and in that moment the swirling orb of white and blue screamed for him to complete that motion, screaming for him to deliver that devastating kick and crushing goal against his long-running rivals.

The Zanarkand Abes would have doubtlessly been recognized for decades following the incredibly complex maneuver that stunned everybody from the endlessly experienced announcers to those countless spectators witnessing this moment in history. Tidus Ashtear continued flawlessly throughout that moment eventually seeing the contested blitzball floating within striking distance before him and none of the opposing team found themselves present to protect their goalie from the crushing impact. Tidus Ashtear found that ultimate moment where he would doubtlessly surpass his father floating in existence before him and it would have been fulfilled during any other moment of his life up until that point.

Captain Tidus Ashtear would have escaped his father's shadow...

The Zanarkand Abes would have been placed in the history books...

Unfortunately, it was in that moment where the young prodigy noticed that unnatural abnormality beyond the spinning form of the contested blitzball. Those two cerulean eyes that were so focused upon the contested blitzball suddenly noticed the unfamiliar blurred mass against the mechanical skyline of the northern metropolis. Another spherical creature that absolutely demanded his attention as much as the blackened skyscrapers that were billowing upon his precious horizon. His focused attention became fragmented and was fiercely demanded by the uneven sounds of heavy munitions that were erupting against the heavy metal music and the viciously flashing light bulbs of the various cameras in the audience.

Tidus understood that something was horribly wrong in that moment and the blitzball suddenly became the least of his worries, as gravity started dragging him down from where he was hanging above the sphere pool, his opportunity to witness the approaching threat was rapidly diminishing. Several minutes passed within his strained consciousness as he aggressively deliberated before following through with the hardest decision he had ever made throughout the course of his eighteen years. His cerulean eyes suddenly shifted in the slightest and in that moment he had committed the greatest disloyalty against his teammates and his supporters. He stopped watching the blitzball and found himself looking undisturbed upon the much more interesting sphere that floated over the metropolis just three kilometers beyond the stadium.

In the next moment, he barely acknowledged that he was completely inverted, that he was succumbing to the natural forces of the planet's gravitational pull and that he had completely abandoned the most prominent opportunity presented to him within his entire career.

In the next moment, he barely acknowledged the uncomfortable chilling sensations of being re-submerged into the crystal liquid of the sphere pool and the physical pain of being viciously tackled by that same female opponent from earlier.

In the next moment, he barely acknowledged the arrogant criticisms of the announcers, the infuriated screaming of the coach, the doubtless aggression of his own teammates or even the disappointed moans of his dedicated opponents and various supporters.

He completely forgot about the blitzball. He completely forgot about the opposition. He completely forgot about the game. Nothing else seemed to matter.

Those horrible and heartwrecking visions he had witnessed within that shortest moment became everything. The terrifying abomination that had witnessed in the distance become everything. The unwarranted destruction descending upon his hometown become everything.

As his natural instincts dominated him, Tidus found himself strategically repositioning himself within the pressurized depths of the sphere pool, completely ignorant that the opposing groups were reestablishing their formations for the next play. Those natural instincts were demanding that he confirm the condition of his hometown before even contemplating anything that could have possibly been less important to the young man. He concentrated for several moments before suddenly launching himself upwards with incredible velocity. The young prodigy found himself screaming thoughtlessly against the passing water as he was once again catapulted from the sphere pool, his impressive momentum launching him against the enormous gravitation ring that stabilized the spherical battleground. The self-contained sphere pool rippled with shocking instability as the young blitzer positioned himself upon the frightfully expensive piece of technology and turned his vision towards the horizon. In that moment he was knowingly threatening his blitzball contract and his celebrity status, but these factors became completely irrelevant as he faced the destruction that had been brought across his beloved hometown.

Countless reservoirs had been completely drained and massive sections of artificial illumination had suddenly vanished from even the most lavish residential districts of the northern metropolis. Several of the tallest skyscrapers and apartment buildings that should have characterized the horizon were completely destroyed in the destructive pathway that had been sliced through the machine kingdom. Countless spectators that had apparently been watching the monitors outside the stadium were now transversing the skybridge in the attempt to escape the approaching juggernaut. The unprepared military forces were relentlessly launching their finest weaponry against the unforeseen opponent that assaulted their metropolis, the wreckage of several dozen warships unmistakable upon the shadowed ocean. Nobody could have possibly denied the obviousness that existed before the young blitzer, Zanarkand was being attacked.

Tidus Ashtear then acknowledged the enemy itself and suddenly found himself terrified beyond whatever limits he had ever considered possible. From almost two kilometers away he quickly acknowledged an impossibly massive abomination that remained completely surrounded in the precious seawaters the northern metropolis. The aggressive monster barely remaining visible as an anonymous shadow beyond the darkness of the precious element the citizens recognized as their endlessly replenishable energy source. Anybody witnessing the warships assaulting the monster quickly understood that this monster was using their precious element against them. From where he was standing, the young blitzer quickly concluded that even the greatest majority of modern projectile weapons was rendered completely useless by the impossible shield of condensed seawater.

Those various witnesses across the metropolis also possessing this realization doubtlessly regretted their next logical question, an inquiry surrounding the offensive capabilities of this nameless enemy. Tidus found himself watching in horror as several foreshadowing ripples moved through the ominous liquid sphere that protected the abomination, somehow already understanding what would happen next and kneeling under the weight of his expectations. In the shadow of the shockwaves the creature targeted the elaborate stadium and launched several blasts of condensed energy towards the imposing monument and the surrounding district.

Tidus found himself screaming alongside countless others as massive explosions absolutely shredded several buildings within the surrounding district. The prodigy blitzer almost being crushed by the gravity of the situation as he witnessed one familiar apartment building imploding upon itself within moments of the initial impact. His athletic frame buckled under his own weight as he dropped to his knees and his gloved hands slapped against his temples, almost feeling those countless lives had been extinguished before him. The doubtless knowledge that nobody could have possibly survived the wreckage weighing down upon his pounding heart. It was earlier that morning that several of his better friends whom resided within those fallen towers had announced they would be throwing another party with the memorial tournament as the main attraction. It was already his understanding that around seven people had been there, although it would have been much to painful to make assumptions concerning the hundreds of invited guests and additional residents.

Tidus screamed against the pounding of the distant explosions and the blaring alarms that demand evacuation from the threatened district. The desperate situation was growing even more traumatic as another collection of energy blasts suddenly slammed into the underwater foundation of the proud stadium. The countless thousands of the evacuating spectators found themselves dropped to the ground and trampled as the submerged superstructure was shaken under their rushing feet. Several cracks splintered through the grout and concrete that created the reservoir below the sphere pool, that cerulean seawater flooding through the cracks and threatening to drown the stadium. There was suddenly no questioning that the tournament would remain inconclusive.

One of the announcers cursed loudly as another series of threatening ripples moved across the approaching sphere and the young prodigy suddenly found himself knowingly glaring down the equivalent of an anti-aircraft cannon. Those same combative instincts drove him to relentlessly achieve championships, drove him to reestablish conscious control over his physical being before the next volley of condensed energy suddenly struck the western wall of the superstructure. Countless shards and fragments of the decorated stoneworks and maintained mechanical devices soared overhead as the western wall was completely obliterated. The prodigy blitzer thoughtlessly hurling himself back into the sphere pool just moments before the section of the extremely sensitive gravitation ring was completely shattered by one of the flying fragments. The soaring boulder having pierced through around twenty-four inches from where the desperate prodigy had been standing an instant before.

The passing moments became indistinct as the prodigy blitzer suddenly found himself swimming through the upper regions of the trembling sphere pool, his instincts turning him back towards the assigned locker rooms his teammates shared alongside him. Those several unfamiliar professionals had already removed themselves from the sphere pool long before the second volley struck their precious stadium. Having already confronted enough with abandonment issues through his existence, Tidus feverishly started pushing himself towards the outer ring, already understanding that his teammates and opponents were attempting to rescue themselves. Within moments the sphere pool would completely destabilize and the weight of the crystal water would have dragged him down into that shadowed abyss that had been constructed within the reservoir. His physical being was pushed forward by the unfamiliar grinding sound of the gravitation ring's broken fragments dropping through the aqua of the sphere pool to strike the remaining section below. Then it happened.

The impressive technology that maintained the spherical battlefield cracked in twine. The sphere pool destabilized.

Those precious breaths were expelled in the form of unheard screams as the captain blitzer's gloved hands desperately snapped outward and caught the exposed edge of the outer ring, urgently pulling his athletic frame up and away from the plummeting sphere pool. The star blitzer weakly gasped for rejuvenating breath as the released liquid of the tournament's sphere pool came crashing down upon the azure darkness of the damaged reservoir. Further discomfort was brought about as the prepared freshwater of the sphere pool began mixing with the intruding seawater that seeped through the foundation's considerable destruction. Within moments the combined water was overflowing the outer ring and rapidly flooding into the interior corridors of the superstructure beyond the anticipated limits.

Considering the nature of the stadium and the greater majority of the northern metropolis, the central stadium was doubtlessly going to be vanishing beneath the waves within the several minutes and would probably be dragging down the thousands that remained inside. Painfully stricken with horrible anguish and completely unwilling to continue watching the destruction that was steadily descending upon their advanced civilization, everybody found themselves following one another through the corridors and toward the entrances that honeycombed the stadium. Those arrogant announcers and various newscasters were probably the earliest to escape from the doomed superstructure, alongside those fortunate people surrounding that had been incapable of entering the condemned superstructure. Even those professional combatants had began their own evacuation, thoughtlessly returning to their dedicated locker rooms to retrieve their belongings and escape themselves.

Tidus Ashtear realized he was probably several moments behind his teammates, breathed heavily as he dashed down the flooded hallways that belonged to one of the world's most technologically advanced superstructures. While everybody else found themselves frantically running in the effort to ensure their own survival, none of them had so directly witnessed such traumatic horror as the young blitzer. Their nameless opponent was somehow utilizing their own precious element against them to create both devastating attacks and impenetrable defenses. The powerful warships of the northern military had already proven themselves completely useless against this impending threat and those surrounding nations couldn't have possibly been expected to arrive and make any real difference. There was little denying the obvious, Zanarkand was doomed.

But Tidus found himself completely unwilling to be doomed alongside his hometown as his athletic form bolted down the various hallways in the heart-wrenching search of that dedicated locker room. Tidus wouldn't allow himself to surrender and he certainly wouldn't allow himself to join his father as another statistic whom had been lost upon that treacherous horizon. There was little planning necessary at that moment. He would retrieve his belongings and immediately return to his floating home with whomever he could possibly gather to accompany him. He would hopefully manage to remove himself from the boarders of the northern metropolis before that abomination could claim him alongside the numerous thousands that had already perished.

However, these plans would remain completely unfulfilled. Although the young blitzer couldn't have possibly understood his purpose in that moments of anguish and despair, his presence was needed elsewhere. That magnificent and formless entity called destiny was calling for him and wouldn't be denied.

END OF CHAPTER TWO

Author's Note:** Reviews from my beloved readers are most appreciated for the continuation of this novelization. I've always collected my best inspiration from the impressions, suggestions and criticisms of my readers, anybody that desires speedy updates should at least reveal their current thoughts. I am not attempting to be arrogant, the knowledge that people are actually reading just boosts my production time considerably. Standard reviews are greatly appreciated and I am completely open to possible requests. I am perfectly capable of accepting constructive criticism, it has proven to doubtlessly be one of the finest tools towards increasing my writing ability and avoiding further mistakes. Pointless flaming will be deleted. Thank you in advance for your time.**


	3. Chapter 3

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Three

The Zanarkand Abes designated locker room had never before appeared to possess the same foreshadowing desolation that was now absolutely rampant across the northern metropolis. Several of the pipes had broken following that abomination's merciless onslaught which tore through the central harbor and the foundation of the proud stadium. Freezing water was flowing undisturbed from broken pipes and the deluge from the stadium reservoir had snaked down the passageways and flooded the room to knee height. Countless slender cracks splintered through the ceiling and the room seemed prepared to collapse upon itself should another shockwave disrupt the foundation. The prodigy blitzer easily recognized the severity of the situation and pushed himself forward.

Tidus rushed through the intrusive seawater without the slightest hesitation, splashing through the raised muck and filth and eventually arriving at his assigned locker. One gloved hand angrily grasped and wrenched at the padlock that was sealed around the latch, and following several moments of feverish struggle eventually the resolved to enter the required combination. Following another incident earlier in the season where several of those wretched tabloid writers rifled through his cellular phone during the game, he realized he would have rather not had such people accessible to his business. Of course, the young athlete couldn't have possibly anticipated that he would need to be removing any combination padlock during such a pressing situation.

There was obviously no questioning that those intrusive newscasters would quickly discovered any conventional combination through their informative resources. This notorious rumor ultimately resulted in the fledgling celebrity memorizing the original password and deliberately incinerating the instructions. Remaining unceasingly conscious of the chaotic circumstances that surrounding him, he eventually managed to complete the combination without error and furiously removed the padlock from the cabinet's latch. The combination padlock dropped from the young prodigy's gloved hands and landed somewhere in the flooding water with an expected splash, the owner much too concerned about his other personal belongings which were much less replaceable.

Tidus found himself breathing heavily as he liberated his waterproof backpack from the stuffy confines of the assigned locker and thoughtlessly looped the securing straps across his shoulders and then buckled another across his heaving chest. Many would have probably questioned his reasons for going back considering the anarchy and mayhem that threatened the shatter the very foundation of the northern metropolis. They wouldn't have known that the backpack possessed his cellular phone, the keys to his cruiser, his numerous identification cards, several pieces of additional clothing, an acceptable amount of gil and several other random articles. The prodigy blitzer understood beyond the slightest doubts that this single alternative from running mindlessly through the streets would probably make his difficult evacuation from Zanarkand much less troublesome.

"Huh?!" Tidus grumbled as several grains of cement decorated his golden blonde strands and his sapphire eyes glanced upwards before the crumbling ceiling suddenly surrendered to the immense pressure. The young prodigy instinctively hurled himself in the direction of the exit and splashed down into the filthy water as several large chunks of cement completely pulverized where he had been standing. Convinced of the various dangers that surrounded him, he completely ignored the frightful stench that was emanating throughout the locker room before pushing himself to his booted feet and sprinting down the nearest corridor. The stadium was crumbling around him alongside the rest of the northern metropolis and he would have hoped that there were others unprepared to surrender without struggle.

Originally one of the greatest photo opportunities that existed within the northern metropolis, the main entrance of the central stadium had suffered some of the greatest damage. Those twin statues of ancient champions were shattered beyond all recognition, those countless fragments that created the colossal statues having become unrecognizable amongst the various debris of stone and metal. Those various banners that existed as reminders of passed championships had fallen from grace to sloppily decorate the ground, the weather-resistant material having been rushed across. The flooding water was also washing across the main entrance, but the young man averted his vision upon seeing the alien crimson that was mixing with the crystal purity.

Tidus Ashtear's normally impressive patience was rapidly deteriorating as he found himself attempting to evacuate the grounds of the central stadium without much success. Those countless spectators that found themselves evacuating through the main entrance, they created an almost impenetrable wave of motion that was generated by their own unleashed panic and absolute terror. Tidus found no comfort in the knowledge that the world's largest stadium was intentionally designed to accommodate over one-hundred thousand spectators. When the young blitzer considered the crippling damage that the foundation had already suffered, several of them wouldn't be surviving the inevitable implosion that would doubtlessly come when the foundations crumbled.

Although several thousand spectators were evacuating across the same skybridge that the rising prodigy had traveled less than an hour before to arrive at the stadium, countless others were pursuing more utilizing much more discreet methods of escape from the doomed civilization. Around twenty cargo vessels had already gathered around the foundation of the enormous stadium and were welcoming the evacuating spectators onboard from the undesignated jetties that surrounded the coliseum. An impressive squadron of commercial airships were touching down on the opposite end of the primary skybridge and collecting those unfortunate individuals that lacked their own means of transportation. Countless smaller motorboats, speedboats and personal watercraft were crowding amongst one another as they maneuvered themselves towards the single existing access point to the open ocean.

Regardless of the various opportunities that were being presented to him, the young blitzer already realized that crossing the skybridge and returning to his yacht would be his best course of action. Those airships and carriers wouldn't possess the slightest chance against that antagonistic behemoth that had vanished during his time in the locker room. The yacht that had essentially become his floating home doubled as a hydrofoil, considering that quickly returning from the open ocean to the northern metropolis was a constant priority. Tidus Ashtear was already prepared to return to his seaside childhood home, where his remaining family continued residing regardless of the painful memories present within those walls.

The blitzball prodigy suddenly found himself unable to analyze his concerns any further when an unexpectedly familiar individual suddenly attracted his cerulean vision through the fleeing crowd. The uncommon sight of the archaic crimson robe would have grasped anybodies attention, but this ornate piece of clothing was particularly familiar to the blitz captain. Some manner of touch leather breastplate could be seen from the opening of the crimson cloak, detailed with an unusual collar that served to conceal the lower part of the stranger's face. There was a belted sash around his mid-section which seemed to provide further protection to the mysterious wayfarer's armored abdomen. Beyond the hanging remainder of the crimson robe was an unimpressive pair of common black slacks that drifted down to vanish into a pair of heavy looking boots.

Approaching the mysterious wayfarer revealed several more strange details regarding his chosen attire. The belted sash seemed to be decorated with several items including a sheathed combat knife, two strands of unfamiliar prayer beads and some manner of clay jar. An interestingly elaborate piece of bronzed armor rested on his left shoulder and seemed unrelated to the unnatural position in which the wayfarer maintained his arms. His preferred right arm was slipped through the sleeve of the crimson robe where it was accompanied by a single dark leather glove and protective bracer. The opposite appendage completely avoided the opposite sleeve and hung without purpose around the waistline, one single non-gloved hand remaining visible through the folds of the cloak.

Beyond his uncommon clothing, the mysterious wayfarer's overall appearance could have been served as indisputable evidence that his existence had been marred with crushing difficulty and constant challenges. The ominous traveler's permanently sealed right eye was evidence enough to deter most foolish questions, the vertical marking serving as an unspeaking reminder of some vicious encounter or violent struggle. The wayfarer's remaining brown eye remained partially hidden behind an unimpressive pair of sunglasses which were positioned low on the bridge of his nose, featuring mirror lenses and standard metallic framing. Although the mysterious wayfarers was probably somewhere around his middle thirties, his brushed back obsidian hair was accompanied by several strands of gunmetal silver.

The prodigy blitzer would have expected the evacuating masses to have trampled him into the pavement considering that the mysterious wayfarer was casually walking forward against them, almost appearing beyond foolish by approaching the scene of unrealistic destruction. Although his very presence was thickly accented by an incredibly fearsome energy, the single greatest reason that the frightened masses were running around him was probably became of the powerful-looking weapon the wayfarer was so casually stabilizing on his right shoulder. The mysterious traveler was carrying an unquestionably dangerous slaying sword which would stood around his shoulder when balanced correctly, seeming rather distinctive in the golden markings and the wrapped handle, this warrior's single-edged killing blade could have probably outclassed most any manner of Nodachi or Zweihander.

The prodigy blitzer remained perfectly stationary, eventually finding himself and the swordsman standing within three meters of one another. Those countless fleeing spectators becoming thinner in number as they proceeded to weave around these two individuals that had so thoughtlessly planted themselves in middle of the skybridge. Within moments, those numerous masses diminished considerably, eventually coming to the point that somebody passing them by was an unexpected occurrence. The prodigy blitzer suddenly stepped forward, although there was probably nobody else within the northern civilization that would have so readily approached the dangerous-looking wayfarer.

"Auron? What are you doing here?" Tidus breathed towards the experienced swordsman, a small number of the fleeing spectators unconsciously questioning exactly what was occurring between the prodigy blitzer and seasoned swordsman.

"I was waiting for you." the young blitzer had always recognized the mysterious wayfarer's regular attributes of being mostly unspoken, unsociable and brusque. Tidus really wasn't surprised by the simple response, he wasn't even surprised by his surprise appearance on the skybridge and he certainly wasn't surprised that evidence of such self-discipline remained completely unchanging. Auron's consistent behavior would remain constant, regardless of the horrible scenario that surrounded them.

"What is going on around here?!" Tidus snapped towards the older man, his restraint slipping for the slightest moment before he brought himself to await possible explanations.

"You'll understand soon. Follow me." the silent swordsman ordered before suddenly turning and proceeding towards the opposite landing of the massive skybridge, following those same screaming masses that had curved around him moments earlier. Tidus obediently followed the older man without question, although there was never any opportunity presented to request answers to his numerous concerns. This was the same mysterious stranger that had essentially existed throughout the last decade as the younger man's distant mentor. The same mysterious stranger that had occasionally appeared to fulfill those various purposes that remained vacant with the disappearance and presumed death of his biological father.

Throughout the young man's difficult childhood, the seasoned swordsman's overall knowledge and general presence endlessly provided supportive solutions to the younger man's personal problems, mostly regarding the absence of his own father. Throughout the young man's challenging adolescence, the experienced mentor had provided him with the proper instruction and constructive criticism that pulled him through some of his hardest experiences. Throughout the young man's rising impressive career, the unpredictable mentor could occasionally be found reminding the prodigy blitzer to remain loyal to himself and understand the difference between confidence and arrogance. Reminding him to then remain loyal to his loving family and truest friends before even acknowledging the countless privileges and monumental prestige that would viciously come before him with their temptations. While the mysterious wayfarer's unpredictable presence within the life of the rising blitzer probably wouldn't have immediately labeled him as some manner of father-figure, the young blitzer possessed an unshakable reliance and loyalty in his distanced mentor. There was absolutely nobody beyond his own bloodlines with whom the rising prodigy possessed the same wholehearted and unconditional trust.

"Auron?!" Tidus shouted as his mentor casually stopped in motion "Why are you stopping?"

"Look." Auron nonchalantly ordered before glancing out over the central reservoir. Tidus responded by looking and then stumbling backwards, completely surprised to discover that the same horrible abomination was currently dangling several hundred meters away from the skybridge. An entire battalion could be sighted across the central reservoir, the valiant soldiers unloading countless rounds of heavy artillery into the murderous monster, several mechanical behemoths billowing flames from their cannons nearby. There might have been some powerful bullets or explosive shell that penetrated the condensed cerulean, but thousands more would be pushed outward by the pressure of the forcefield and dropping harmlessly into the shallow reservoir below. Within moments of their initial offensive, these powerful military machines were transformed into smoldering wreckage producing nothing more than billowing pillars of suffocating smoke, which joined their fallen brethren in blackening the cloudless horizon.

"We called it 'Sin'." the mysterious swordsman suddenly spoke, apparently having noticing the confusion and discomfort of his unofficial apprentice.

"'Sin'?" Tidus echoed the frightening identity of the omnipotent monster which lumbered so threateningly overhead, effectively pursuing the complete destruction of the northern metropolis. The prodigy blitzer honestly couldn't have cared less about whom his mentor was talking about, those unspoken individuals that had actually named the frightening abomination. However, upon reminding himself of the indiscriminate destruction which this infernal creature had brought upon them using their own precious element, he had found himself convinced that such an uncompromising identity was certainly warranted and well-deserved. Should one have actually possessed the opportunity to contemplate another identity, one would have found endless difficulty in imagining another name which would have so perfectly conveyed the aggressive abomination's horrible existence.

The focused attention of the rising blitzer and his silent mentor was suddenly torn away from the levitating abomination by the sound of twisting metalwork and one thousand shattering windows. An enormous mass of alien tentacles having exploded through one of the adjacent skyscrapers without warning and focused an unseen vision upon those fleeing masses that were running down the skybridge from the stadium. The central tendril whipped sharply through the evening breeze, swiftly reducing in density as several strange scales were thoroughly discarded from the unnatural appendage. It became apparent within the next moment that these fallen scales were somehow steering themselves through the evening air and twisting towards their current position. His mentor twisted his gloved hand around the grip of his sword as these creature began touching down upon the surface of the stadium's skybridge.

Several terrible creatures, each of them holding an uncanny resemblance to rounded spearheads, arrived upon the skybridge within the next couple moments, stabbing down into the hardened surface and numbering in the dozens before the two mismatched allies. Almost immediately following their graceless landing, these spearhead scales began peeling from their organic armor and revealed themselves to their potential victims. An unnatural illumination pulsed through these insect-like creatures as they completely reshaped themselves from their folded position. Eventually the two unlikely allies found themselves confronted by several creatures which possessing two sawtooth wings, four skittering legs and several bloodthirsty mandibles.

Tidus Ashtear suddenly found himself facing several of them as they approached and angrily lashed out with his armored fist, smacking one of them backward while the others pressed their advance. The second attacker jumped forward and snapped down upon the armored portion of his armguard completely neutralizing the vicious attack. The young blitzer then found himself weighted down and completely vulnerable to incoming assaults. Without thinking he shook the latched on monster loose and aggressively kicked the insect-like creature in those snapping mandibles, sending it stumbling backwards into it's brethren. The third and final initial attacker screeched before jumping forward and knocking the young man backwards before suddenly jumping forward to attack.

Tidus instinctively pulled his armguard in front of himself as those vicious mandibles approached him, threatening to ultimately remove him from his privileged existence. The young blitzer was pleasantly surprised when the attacking creature was suddenly struck down by the enormous blade of his silent mentor. Several of those insect creatures that barred their passage established some distance between themselves and the seasoned swordsman. The next moment the massive slaying blade had switched hands and the corpse of the invading creature had inexplicably evaporated into nothingness. Tidus found his attention divided however, as his silent mentor suddenly reached behind his right shoulder and suddenly retrieved something the apprentice had somehow overlooked.

"Take it." Auron murmured in thrusting one gloved hand before his young apprentice, his gloved hand wrapped around the handle of an exceptionally unusual longsword. Although this deadly weapon that was being offered to him possessed the expected handle and hand-guard, the actual blade was considerably unnatural from anything he had encountered in his severely limited experience. The reddish-orange blade seemed to extend forward normally before moving forward to create the slightest of curve before continuing to the dangerously sharp point. The blade then proceeded to come back to form some manner of deadly-looking hook before the general outline returned to the hilt. The longsword was doubtlessly sharpened into an exceptionally dangerous razor's edge, the young man found himself cautious about handling the deadly blade. However, it had become rather apparent that there wouldn't be any negotiations and becoming offensive was probably their best opportunity of surviving this otherworldly scenario.

Tidus Ashtear abandoned his momentary hesitation, snapping out his right hand to aggressively claim the handle of the unnatural weapon, his silent mentor then proceeded to hoist him back onto his booted feet and released the weight of the deadly longsword. Although his experience was severely lacking in comparison, the young blitzer possessed some standard knowledge from innocent childhood experiences, some recent interest the martial arts and several exercises with his distant mentor. The teenager's experience had been confined to wooden poles and wooden swords, but his natural instincts quickly adjusted to the metallic weight of the unfamiliar longsword. Apparently noticing his hesitation, one of those intrusive creatures suddenly moved forward, but quickly retreated in order to avoid an aggressive swing from the freshly equipped young man.

"A gift from Jecht." Auron suddenly murmured before repositioning his greatsword over his right shoulder, his gloved hand grasping the handle in preparation for the coming battle. His unclothed left arm removed from the confines of the crimson robe and revealed to be wearing an armored bracer around the forearm.

"Jecht? My father, Jecht?" Tidus shouted in response before turning and viciously swinging the longsword towards another one of the approaching creatures. The young blitzer had never questioned that his silent mentor had probably known his accursed father somehow, although he constantly decided against pressing the issue. Tidus turned his attention back towards their present concern "We'll have to discuss that one later."

"Agreed." Auron responded before turning his attention towards the vicious masses that confronted them, those that were probably feeding upon anybody incapable of securing shelter. The swordsman glared towards the creatures before shouting to his apprentice "These wretched creatures are no consequence! Target those that stand in your path and cut through!"

"10-4!" Tidus shouted back before suddenly moving towards the nearest antagonistic insect, suddenly jumping forward and covering the distance in one swift maneuver before bringing the razor edge of the longsword down upon the creature's clicking mandibles. The skybridge was sprayed with glowing lifeblood as the insect was almost drawn in twine, the amateur swordsman moving forward without delay to swing wide and slash through another one of the brittle creatures.

"Keep moving!" Auron shouted demandingly before rushing forward and bringing his own weapon down with much more impressive and destructive results. Characteristically perceiving the precise details of how terribly his earliest killing of the evening had been slashed in half, the swordmaster immediately moved forward to bring his blade down again without hesitation. This process was continued as another insect creature attempted to flank the senior swordsman and was viciously swatted backwards by the curved broadsword.

Several moments before the two remaining pieces of the fifth corpse managed to even begin the process of evaporating, both of the swordsmen found themselves already rushing deeper into the collection of bloodthirsty monsters that awaited them. Several more dropped from the sky and unfolded in the attempt to barricade their presumed passage, several of them jumping forward without hesitation. The amateur swordsman slowly brought his crimson blade back into an acceptably standard stance before his mentor reminded him "We cannot expect to exterminate all of them! Cut the ones that matter and run!"

"Auron!" Tidus shouted as suddenly the wings on one of the creatures flashed brightly and then bolted forward, several razor-edged spines sailing towards the senior swordsman. Unceasingly vigilant, the senior swordsman had already repositioned himself and completely avoided those deadly spikes that threatened him. The silent mentor was also pleasantly surprised that his younger comrade had quickly drawn in on the underhanded attacker and continued to satisfy the virgin blade's bloodlust.

"Wouldn't have expected much more from giant bugs!" Tidus angrily snapped before cleaving through the final two creatures that barricaded his path and then sprinted forward with his mentor following behind him. Several more of those accursed insects continued falling from their building perched hive, striking down upon the skybridge around the fleeing swordsman. Neither bothered the register these minimal threats as they continued moving down the skybridge, never even bothering to glance towards those poor unmoving individuals that were trampled by their panicked brethren. However, they found their promising progress suddenly interrupted by the unwanted sound of crumbling concrete and shattering masonry, and instinctively backpedaled as another opponent confronted them.

"What in the hell are these things?!" Tidus shouted as another one of those tentacle carriers suddenly burst through the underside of the skybridge and immediately began the process of sprinkling those foul insects across the surrounding area. The amateur swordsman found himself growing increasingly furious as several of the unrevealed monsters moved through the shadows of the evening towards those fleeing transports. Completely unwilling to continue watching the carnage and anarchy destroy his beloved hometown, the young prodigy dashed towards the base of the unprotected creature without the slightest forethought. The silent mentor didn't seem prepared to sanction him and adjusted his grasp upon his own blade before also approaching the towering behemoth that was essentially spreading the seeds of destruction.

The hooked blade was sharply brought back before the amateur swordsman jumped towards the monster and aggressively brought the razor edge down upon the hardshell carapace. The reddish-orange blade was then pulled backwards from the creature, the hooked portion that created the backside of the weapon inflicting further damage in the vicious motion of being withdrawn. The monster released an eerie screech of misery and suffering, several of those evacuating spearhead scales veering from their original targets and vanishing into the waves of the darkened cerulean. Another screech of agony erupted as that familiar punishing blade was suddenly chopped deeply into the monster, effectively splitting the armored carapace in the same manner that an axe would the stubborn bark of an ancient tree.

"You bastards stay away from them!" Tidus shouted in fearless defense of those helpless civilians that had loaded themselves onto those transport vessels, completely forgetting that he could have probably fallen into the same category moments before obtaining his weapon. Auron inaudibly grunted as he retrieved his killing blade and immediately dropped back away from their enormous adversary, several of the smaller tentacles whipping wildly through the creature's suffering. The unseen gaze of the infernal creature could almost be felt acknowledging them and in an unexpected development, the creature accepted the young blitzer's demands.

"Brace yourself!" Auron shouted before suddenly an unnatural orb of perpetual illumination suddenly appeared overhead, several streaks of violent purple lightning coursing through the atmosphere around them. Tidus was somewhat surprised when this threatening orb of light created the illusion of rapidly absorbing the shadows and darkness that surrounded them. That was when he noticed the powerful vacuum that was being created by the presence of this mirage before the darkness suddenly lashed back outwards, the bizarre incantation appearing as an alien sphere of translucent shadows from farther distances.

Tidus grunted as he suddenly found himself floored by the insane amount of formless weight that had been slammed into his shoulders, his armored hand slapping down against the ground to avoid planting his visage into the surface of the skybridge. Tidus was barely capable of correcting himself enough to lash out against the skittering legs that rapidly approached him, his blade cleaving into another one of those insect creatures before it could chomp down on his tender sweetbreads. Tidus angrily straightened himself and corrected his stance, already questioning exactly what manner of trickery this invader had utilized against them.

"Be careful!" Auron snapped as he pulled himself to his feet "Our adversary cannot properly attack us without assistance, but those gravity incantations will shatter your defenses unless you brace yourself!"

"Alright!" Tidus responded before glaring towards the towering creature and the various insects that had dropped from the primary tentacle, mindlessly defending their source in the manner of colony drones. Those grisly-looking wounds were pulsing with that same bizarre glow that emanated from the horrible little creatures that were putting themselves on the defensive. The blow from the great sword had been significantly more destructive against the creature and the young blitzer quickly formulated an ingenious, albeit simple strategy of attack "I'll handle these things myself! You bring down the hive!"

"Watch yourself." Auron reminded his young apprentice before he dashed towards the insects and viciously brought his newly acquired longsword to cleave into the masses. Several of the insect vermin were caught off their guard as the blade was swiped without restraint towards their chittering skeletal appendages. The amateur swordsman's natural agility and endurance offered him considerable advantages over the frail bodies of the carnivorous insects. Several snapped towards their aggressive target and found themselves snapping down upon nothing outside the razor edge of his father's longsword, those that managed to penetrate his offensive found themselves chewing his armguard.

"You're in the way!" Auron murmured threateningly behind his raised collar before dropping his massive weapon down upon the original wound he had inflicted just moments earlier. The monster hauntingly hissing in agony from somewhere that couldn't be seen and several tendrils suddenly snapped from their holdings and dropped onto the surface of the skybridge. Upon noticing these changes the veteran swordsman brought his sword back over his shoulder and lashed out in a horizontal swing. The bloody sounds of cracking and tearing emanated over the hiss of the organic carrier as the curved greatsword splintered through armored carapace and underlying muscle fibers. The main tendril snapped back overhead once again.

"Brace yourself!" Auron ordered once again as that same exceedingly bright orb once again collected the violent energy necessary for the powerful gravity incantation. The young warrior quickly repositioned his longsword away from himself and reinforced his haphazard stance when suddenly the darkness lashed out against them. While the two swordsmen grunted in obvious discontent of their bodies being slammed with much more weight that what had been displayed in the initial attack, several of the skittering invaders were slammed into the underlying asphalt. The main tendril dropped to the side displaying the fatigue that the organic hive was experiencing, clearly possessing such supernatural abilities were not possible without their obvious drawbacks.

Almost the instant that the enhanced gravity diminished around them, Tidus immediately bypassed the grounded insects and plunged his longsword into the base of the creature without mercy. Auron repeated his earlier process of hammering his blade into the lower potion, effectively beginning to perform the duties of any talented lumberjack upon the towering behemoth. Those insufferable hisses slowly faded into nothingness following one final attack from the senior swordsman that drove his curved blade into the central reaches of the creature. The star blitzer meanwhile found himself looking back, having turned his attention towards the extermination of the remaining invaders.

Following the killing blow, that monstrous appendage dropped completely as the defeated creature darkened significantly and several minute explosions echoed the beneath the armored carapace. Several sections of that protective shell suddenly began twisting and revealing that whatever manner of creature had existed beneath the exoskeleton was somehow evaporating from existence. The young blitzer's attention was then captured by what was doubtlessly the strangest phenomenon he had ever possessed the opportunity to witness. As the defeated creature completely descended into that unending slumber, otherworldly illumination suddenly bubbled around the tallest point of the towering creature before the sources suddenly revealed themselves.

Countless clusters of some otherworldly illumination penetrated through the armored carapace before orbiting the remains of the creature and then vanishing into nothingness, without the slightest explanation to answer the phenomenon. These unrealistic phenomenons could have immediately been categorized by anybody as something that couldn't have been normal in the everyday world. One would immediately recognize this by their spectral presence of being translucent bundles of life energy and repeatedly phasing through every conceivable color of the most brilliant rainbow. The younger man found himself completely mesmerized as he noticed that there was nothing beyond the enormous gashes drilled into the protective exoskeleton, eventually realizing that these twinkling bundles of light somehow created these foul creatures and vanished into nothingness following their inevitable demise.

Tidus Ashtear eventually found himself removing his attention from this mysterious phenomenon, quickly realizing that these personal musings and unspoken questions were completely irrelevant in that moment. The northern metropolis wouldn't be surviving that fateful evening and both swordsmen remained considerably vulnerable by standing upon the enormous skybridge. Cautiously inspecting the surrounding area for possible pursuers, Auron hardly wasted the slightest moment in continuing their perilous journey through the wartorn civilization. The young blitzer faithfully following his distant mentor.

The inexperienced apprentice would have been absolutely correct in assuming that the senior swordsman anticipated that they would be escaping the doomed civilization and the shadow of that horrible abomination. But the young prodigy could have never suspected the outlandish possibility that his valiant mentor never intended for either of them to reach the younger man's floating home or even the opposite end of the magnificent skybridge. This remained completely unknown to the young blitzer who believed that survival would be several more killings beyond his grasp, salvation was actually much closer than anybody would have suspected. Probably around the same distance as that murderous monster whom floated around three hundred meters away from their position.

Following an acceptable distance beyond the defeated remains of their gravity twisting opponent, the two starcrossed swordsmen found themselves bypassing another enormous skyscraper which had already served to aggravate and infuriate the rising prodigy earlier in the evening. Although everybody within the territory of the northern metropolis had accepted the fact that the historical tournament was obviously cancelled, that electronic publication continued flashing the rather arrogant announcement that the second match was happening in that very moment. Remaining upon the misguided publication existed that same image of the tournament's central figure. The amateur swordsman couldn't help himself in once again noticing that absolutely disgraceful expression of arrogance that was plastered across his father's bearded features. An arrogance that the legendary blitzer remained famous for constantly flaunting against his opponents.

"You're always smiling about something, aren't you? What are you laughing at this time, old man?" Tidus grumbled under his breath as they continued down the skybridge eventually coming across the remains of an overpowered detachment of the northern defense forces. Several deceased soldiers were scattered across the general area and their various firearms and munitions were equally separated from their lifeless owners. The transport truck used to deliver the doomed soldiers was almost twenty meters away and one fully stocked missile carrier was dangling on the edge of the skybridge. The enormous scorch mark in the center of the skybridge seemed to boast the possibility that the abomination had launched another volley of energy blasts towards the bothersome soldiers. These valiant soldier probably perished without even realizing it.

Tidus grimaced slightly upon noticing around three dozen more of those accursed insects skittering throughout the decimated detachment, becoming furious upon noticing that several of them were viciously feeding upon the mangled bodies of those deceased soldiers. Tidus realized that charging forward wouldn't have been advised considering that the creepy little monsters were preoccupied with the freshly deceased, sprinting around them remained much less troublesome by tactical standards. He breathed before turning to his mentor "Auron, let's get outta here."

"Remain where you are and prepare yourself." Auron suddenly breathed rather cryptically before bringing his powerful slaying blade into defensive stance "We've already been surrounded."

Before the young blitzer could possibly question the foreshadowing announcement of his distant mentor, the distasteful publication notoriously baring his father's face was suddenly shattered without warning by another one of those armored hives. Apparently beyond the necessary range to launch another one of those gravity crushing attacks, the various tendrils whipped violently as the entire payload of the spearhead shaped cocoons were delivered towards their standing location. Auron swiftly brought his sword up and placed his hand against the flat side of the blade, his young apprentice following suit in the efforts to defending themselves against the rain of insect monsters.

"Hm. This could be bad." Auron grumbled upon lowering his blade and discovered that both sides of the massive skybridge had become absolutely covered by the antagonistic insects. Absolutely surrounded on either side by almost three hundred feet of viciously snapping mandibles, the immediate situation wasn't exactly justified by his silent mentor's chosen description.

"Really?! I haven't noticed!" Tidus shouted back before reaching down and snatching up one of the random assault rifles that obviously wouldn't be serving those fallen soldiers any longer. Although possessing no formal training with modern firearms the young blitzer was most fortunate that the magazine was fully loaded and gracelessly opened fire upon the approaching insects. Those hapless soldiers were obviously killed by the primary invader and not by the miniature creatures that skittered through the streets, several dozen of those disgusting creatures dropping as the armor-piercing rounds cleaved through their numbers with vicious efficiency. Tidus found himself relieved, but the powerful weapon eventually displayed that unavoidable weakness that remained prevalent within all modern firearms.

"Damn it!" Tidus snapped before tossing the expired automatic weapon into the crowd of approaching invaders and quickly recovered his longsword. quickly reinforcing his grasp around the handle and snapping into combat stance. Auron suddenly moved forward and face the lessened numbers that barricaded the path that would lead back to the stadium and brought his blade with conviction.

"This is for the fallen!" Auron roared before suddenly snapping the curve of the blade downward and rushing forward. Without warning he suddenly jumped into the air and unbelievably stabbed the blade down into the skybridge without tremendous effort. Tidus watched as an infernal gleam seethed outward the blackened steel before suddenly emerging in the form of several powerful explosions that devastated the approaching numbers. The formed smoke swiftly cleared to reveal countless more of those floating bundles of life energy fleeting off into nothingness and several more of those creatures horribly wounded in the inexplicable assault.

"How in the hell did you do that?!" Tidus demanded as his unlikely partner pulled himself back onto his feet, having never anticipated such unleashed power from his distanced mentor. Apparently drained from the sheer effort he moved towards his apprentice stumbling slightly. He dropped down low before snatching up, quickly inspecting and thoughtlessly tossing the young blitzer another one of the automatic weapons that remained behind from the fallen soldiers. He then began approaching the missile carrier, even as the impressive piece of military hardware teetered dangerously on the of the threatened skybridge.

"Hold them back!" Auron shouted before rushing towards the missile carrier and began using his thickened blade in the seemingly insane attempt to release the missile carrier from the balanced position. Tidus quickly realized that returning to the crumbling stadium wasn't an acceptable choice and jumping from the skybridge would have doubtlessly resulted in an incredibly painful demise. Although questioning his distant mentor's precise intentions, Tidus quickly dropped his longsword and brought the stock of the assault rifle against his right shoulder. His armored hand stabilized the weapon before looking through the mounted scope towards the remaining monsters on the opposite side of the missile carrier.

Tidus Ashtear ignored the considerable anguish that was echoing throughout his sensitive eardrums and depressed the trigger towards the nearest skittering insect, three rounds of 5.56 ripping through the frail carapace of the unwelcome monster. Several more of the invading insects began moving forward in the attempt to consume the occupied senior swordsman, apparently mistaking him for another delicacy of the northern metropolis. The mounted scope made pinpointing and dispatching the approaching insects almost effortless and eventually those creatures began much less enthusiastic about approaching. Those sharpened instincts quickly snapped within his subconscious as he realized that there were incredibly limited reasons that opposition would suddenly halt their advance.

The young blitzer grunted as he turned around and instinctively began dumping countless armor-piercing rounds into the wretched creatures that were attempting to ambush him. The aggravated young man randomly cursed as the weapon inevitably expired and those vicious insects suddenly approached him with considerable gusto. He shouted in defiance of the creatures approaching him before grabbing the deadly weapon by the stock and swinging it into the first attacker's creepy visage. The insect went soaring backwards and the amateur warrior quickly retrieved his blade, furiously cutting through them as they approached in refined pairs.

"Run!" Auron suddenly shouted before pushing upwards on the underside of the missile carrier and successfully sent the dangerous military weapon plummeting towards the shallows that existed beneath the skybridge. Tidus obediently followed orders before rushing into the shallowed crowd of insects that had approached from behind, randomly swinging his sword into those that snapped at his vulnerable ankles. An unwitnessed explosion of immense proportions suddenly shook the skybridge and the adjacent skyscraper that had bore that distasteful publications. Those hundreds of barricading invaders looked towards the skyscraper as the building suddenly teetered and then dropped forward onto the proud skybridge.

"What in the hell is wrong with you?!" Tidus screamed towards his distant mentor as the building suddenly came crashing down upon the skybridge, effectively crushing the hundreds of insects that had barricaded their passage. The fledgling prodigy soon found himself retracting the aggravated statement as the skyscraper grinded into the concrete, but was being withheld by the underlying support beams of reinforced iron. Although several shattered windows remained hazardous, anybody could understand how an unexpected pathway was created by the general area that separated the floors of the shattered panels. The prodigy blitzer understood that the building was probably valued at around ten billion gil, but the unfortunate problems which might affect the league executives and team owners really wasn't his concern.

"Come." the senior swordsman hardly minced his words before moving forward onto the narrow skyscraper and began running down the established pathway. Several moments passed before the hesitant young man noticed that the building was slowly breaking through the skybridge with every passing second. Grasping his father's longsword he moved forward, finding himself forced to drop an uncomfortably short distance from the remaining edge of the skybridge before dashing down the pathway. The young man then found himself both inspired and horrified as the twisted ruins of the skyscraper were pushing through the skybridge, he was actually able to see the straining supports. Pushing himself even harder towards the crumbling opposite edge.

The young blitzer aggressively grunted before pushing himself into the hardest jump that had ever been demanded of his athletic physique, his right hand stretched out and his sculpted chest prepared for the impact. He found himself screaming loudly as he soured through the burning oxygen and was practically praying to every one of those benevolent spirits regardless of her personal beliefs, hoping that one would understand and answer these prayers. Praying that those stones wouldn't drop out from under his gloved palms. Praying that the skybridge wouldn't suddenly plummet along with the destroyed building. Praying that one of those creatures wouldn't suddenly attack him out of nowhere. Praying that the added weight of his father's longsword wouldn't become his downfall. Praying that he would somehow continue living to see the burning horizon of the next morning.

Those precious breaths were forced from the young blitzer's tender lungs as the concrete of the skybridge struck him in the chest and his gloved hands scrapped the ground to snatch the edge of the teetering skybridge. The cracked pavement remained strong under the sudden weight of his athletic frame and his toned legs kicked valiantly in the attempt to somehow force himself onto the bridge. His father's longsword scrapped across the asphalt and was caught under the pressure of his distant mentor's boot, being snatched up and suddenly stabbed into the ground. However, as the senior swordsman approached he looked down towards the dangling young man almost questioningly before glancing back towards the enormous sphere of water than hovered overhead. That wretched abomination was upon them and somehow, his beloved mentor remained unwavering.

"Auron!" Tidus shouted as the weight of the skyscraper managed to penetrate the weakened supports of the bridge and plummeted into the shallows below. That endlessly antagonistic abomination seemed completely uninterested in the two harmless humans below, continued to assault the attacking warships of the northern military with breathtaking efficiency. That was when another unexplained phenomenon suddenly occurred, another impossible circumstance that would bring about the utmost terror within the already traumatized and terrorized young man.

The remainder of the skybridge was suddenly yanked upwards and toward the enormous creature without warning, the entire section separating and being levitated towards this murderous monster whom some unknown organization apparently called Sin. Those assimilated waters suddenly began receding to reveal some manner of brilliant light that was twisted into the organic material that created the abomination's physical form. Several shattered fragments from the destroyed buildings were dragged alongside the section of the skybridge towards the monster overhead. Without any potential answers to the identity and purposes of the twisting organic portal, the ignored apprentice began feverishly clawing at the broken lip of the skybridge in the attempt to pull himself from the uncomfortably close encounter.

"You are sure?" Auron murmured towards the brilliant portal overhead before regarding the young man that had managed to pull himself onto the broken skybridge, witnessing his father's longsword suddenly being snatched from the asphalt and vanishing into that uninviting illumination that had been gorged into the abomination's underside.

"This is it." Auron ominously murmured before suddenly grabbing the young man's suspender straps and sharply pulling him up from the broken lip of the skybridge. Tidus grunted as his booted feet were dangling over the threatening void of shallow water below him, several stone shards being levitated towards that threatening vacuum above. The mysterious wayfarer looked towards him through those tinted sunglasses before uttering one phrase that would establish permanent residence within his subconscious "This is your story."

Tidus violently struggled against the powerful grasp of his distant mentor, unconsciously noticing that his ungloved hand was securely grasping his own thickened blade. Tidus soon found himself floating upwards and being levitated towards the threatening light which curiously extended no flaming heat or crushing gravity. Several moments passed before everything became absolutely flooded with blinding light and his sapphire eyes instinctively clamped shut against the uncompromising illumination. Without warning, his consciousness suddenly began to diminish and he found himself falling into an aggressive unconsciousness.

Whatever the nature of this otherworldly influence which prompted this terrible urge to surrender to his slumber, his physical fatigue and considerable exhaustion seemed to combine with it. Everything throughout his various senses began to surrender and his gloved hands slipped from the powerful wrist that continued to hold him steady, even within the flooding light. The young blitzer soon found himself drifting into an undesired slumber and found himself inheriting one final statement before that infinite light was flaunted out by eternal darkness. His mentor's voice warning him "It all begins here."

END OF CHAPTER THREE

Author's Note: **Alright my beloved readers, that glorious introduction has officially been completed and is hopefully an extremely powerful first step towards my recreation of this wonderful story. Everything happening within the official storyline will probably remain true to the original games, but you can expect original events to begin popping up sometime following the tournament at Luca. An original character will also be introduced around the seventh chapter, another guardian character that will possess his own individual storyline. I am also planning for two original Aeons to be introduced into the pilgrimage, based on the elements of Earth and Water. I am currently accepting any suggestions or possible ideas concerning everything from a suitable name to the actual description. Should you have any ideas, please include these in your reviews. Of course, you could still review anyway and make me type faster.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Four

There is nothing in the world that can compare to the absolute confusion of coming back into the waking world and finding oneself clueless as to how one managed to vanish from it in the first place. What had made the greatest logic in those slumbered dreams had transformed into a jumbled mass of confusing shapes and figures. When the body comes back from dormancy, the mind seems to be pulled from one perceived reality and placed into another and the transition between unconsciousness and consciousness leaves the real world as a numbing blur. There is never any given explanation as to how one managed to vanish from one perceived world only to appear in another. No given explanation upon why the pleasant scenarios ended. No recollected method of escape from hopeless situations. The only thing that is for certain is that one is awake.

Tidus Ashtear, he was awake, the throbbing of his head and the cramping in his stomach served as confirming signs that he was no longer in the dimensions of his normally predictable dreams. Those illusions of the slumbering mind which would always choose between the most blissful paradise or the most punishing poverty, or sometimes the greatest victories and most crushing defeats. He had awoken from his slumber, but he quickly realized that he was not somewhere that he would have expected himself to be. He did not find himself greeted by the crisp brush of cotton sheets, the luxuriously stuff pillows or the comfortable memory foam of his own mattress. He didn't even find himself sleeping off another foolish evening of partying with the less controlled members of the Zanarkand Abes.

He remained still without even the slightest idea as to his location for several confused moments before everything suddenly came flooding back into his consciousness, alongside the crippling feeling of the traumatic experiences that came with that knowledge. Those unwanted memories of the northern metropolis being viciously decimated by those frightening creatures that seemed thoughtless upon everything but consuming whatever they possibly could. The innocent citizens of the proud civilization trampling one another without acknowledgment as they were driven forward by the terror that coursed their minds and bodies. The central stadium and the surrounding skyscrapers crumbling around him as he journeyed across the massive skybridge with his distant mentor. Remembering Auron triggered his final memories.

Those horrible and frightful memories of being absorbed into that infernal portal of otherworldly light which had emanated from that the stomach of the same wretched abomination that attacked Zanarkand, the omnipotent demon that his mentor had so knowingly identified as being called 'Sin'. Tidus soon noticed the freezing sensation that surrounded the bare sections of his legs alongside the lapping motion of open water against his hips. The sound of trickling water surrounded him and the temperature was frightfully less than anything the young blitzer had ever been exposed to during his choice sport. His wincing visage was pressed against something solid and his gripping fingers quickly established a stone structure that he was laying against. Although he realized that opening his eyes might expose him to further traumatic sights, he slowly looked up and painfully peeled his eyelids back.

The most unexpected sight awaited those sapphire eyes as the young blitzer quickly realized that there was some strange manner of large bird perched upon the rocks, which appeared to be very large stone fragments which had been carved by human hands. Pulling himself onto these ruined fragments and unexpectedly chasing the perching avian away, he found himself overlooking an unexpectedly depressing sight. His surrounding scenery was accented by several more chucks of shattered stone which had once been part of something elaborate stabbing upwards from the chilling water. Upon closer inspection he understood himself surrounded by what couldn't have possibly been anything besides the open ocean, considering that there was no possible sign of inhabitable land besides the dismal scene before him.

Thunder grumbled and lightning flashed through several weighted thunderclouds which effectively blotted out the condition of the horizon, although there was no questioning that it was probably night. These unpleasant weather conditions seemed to appropriately accent the doubtlessly ancient structure that existed several hundred yards into the mist streaked horizon. The unfamiliar avian joined several brethren in circling around the central spire that existed towards the highest point of the ancient temple, one notorious indication of probable doom and negative fortune. Unfortunately, this crumbling temple in the distance appeared as the only available manner of shelter to protect him from the evening chill.

Tidus growled angrily as he monitored the surrounding area from the large boulder he had found himself washed upon, mentally questioning to where his distant mentor could have vanished. Several moments passed with his clenched fists dangling around his sides before he eventually decided against shouting into the distance. The young blitzer remained confident that anybody would probably be localized around the crumbling temple. He was also uninterested in shouting threats and profanities towards his unpredictable mentor. He resolved to move back into the chilling water and approach the temple in the distance, mentally whispering for somebody to be present.

Swimming through the frigid chill and the shadowed water that surrounded the various fragments of the decimated temple obviously wasn't the most comfortable feeling that the young blitzer had ever experienced. Anybody else finding themselves in his current position would have probably remained where they landed and awaited some manner of assistance. He realized however, that there wouldn't be anybody coming to search for him and the situation prompted him to push forward and inevitable rescue himself. Perhaps his considerable devotion also extended from his unwillingness to meet his inevitable ending in the same manner as his despised father, vanishing completely without any known traces.

Several more moments passed before he located some partially submerged stairways near the outskirts of the temple and quickly ascended them, eagerly pulling himself from the uncomfortably frigid water. Several moments passed before his attention was eventually grasped by the freezing lump of hardened metal practically stabbing into his collarbone. The young blitzer found himself most relieved when his hand came away holding the precious platinum pendant that remained chained around his sore neck, the memories surrounding the priceless family heirloom inspiring him to continue pressing forward. Following the slightest hesitation, he eventually pulled himself to his feet and began moving towards the intimidating structure that overshadowed the darkened horizon.

Several moments following his refreshed confidence, the determined castaway found himself standing upon an elevated platform overlooking the submerged courtyard of the weathered temple. Beyond the intrusive haze of the cloudy seawater, anybody could have noticed the silhouettes of the decorative statues and the tropical plants that decorated the courtyard. Several mammoth fragments of ancient structure crowded around the underwater courtyard and countless shards of the shattered masonry blanketed the surface. Those various specimens of tropical plantlife somehow remained vibrant underwater, pushing the possibility that whatever disaster had befallen these ancient ground had been fairly recent. These dilapidated ruins disturbed the young man, although probably utilized towards meditation and gatherings sometime earlier, the submerged courtyard now possessed an exceedingly unwelcome energy that challenged his dedication.

"Somebody must really hate me." Tidus whispered as he approached the crumbling structure before him, carefully positioning himself before the single visible pathway into the ominous ruins. His gloved hands became positioned around his sides in the effort to distribute balance equally and his booted feet remained steady as he stepped onto the heavily damaged bridge that stretched over the submerged courtyard. The numerous cracks that were carved into the ancient stone bridge seemed to be threatening him, the blatant absence of any support system also coated stress upon his tenderized nerves and limited patience. He continued moving forward as slowly and carefully as he could possibly manage, mentally pleading that the stone bridge would support him and the lightning wouldn't suddenly decide to smite him.

Although those clashing lightning bolts and thunderclaps continued their eternal battle for superiority overhead and the bridge seemed to remain steady, an unexpectedly powerful impact suddenly resonated throughout the surroundings of the submerged courtyard. Those threatening cracks in the structure of the bridge suddenly began growing wider and suddenly one section dropped into the murky cerulean below. The young blitzer rushed forward without hesitation upon realizing that the ancient bridge would crumble, gracefully jumping across the freshly created separation and sprinting across. Although his valiant efforts seemed reasonable, the splintered bridge inevitably crumbled completely before he could possibly reach his destination. The young man released an unheard scream as he plummeted thirty feet and slammed into the freezing seawater that had collected in the courtyard.

Although encouraged towards accepting the possibility that he had probably been cursed, the young castaway found his undivided attention drawn towards locating the unseen source of the tremor. Something suddenly moved underwater, sending several threatening ripples through the shadowed surface of the collected seawater. Tidus quickly noticed the submerged silhouettes rapidly moving towards him and threateningly beginning to surround the drifting intruder. Several moments passed before two of them suddenly surfaced and sailed across the cloudy seawater, revealing themselves as doubtlessly carnivorous sea-creatures. Before questioning the viciousness of the creatures that surrounding him, the third unseen creature suddenly jumped from the water and slammed into his collarbone. Several powerful fins slashed through the air as the creature's solid cranium was driven into the young man's chest, the sheer force driving both into the murky seawater.

Tidus instinctively wrapped his gloved hands around the creature's nonexistent neck, effectively keeping those bloodthirsty jaws from chomping into his tender flesh. Several bubbles of precious oxygen escaped his cheeks as the creatures thrashing fins slammed the determined castaway into the shattered masonry that covered the submerged courtyard. Upon impact his right hand slipped from the smooth scales of the vicious monster and in his moment of desperation, the young man tossed his left wrist between those threatening jaws. His right hand scrapped across the stone fragments and randomly snatched one as several fragile teeth were broken over the armor plating. The aquatic attacker barely managed to release the warm-blooded target before some random chunk of granite was slammed into the creature's cranium thrice, although it was dead following the second.

Tidus swiftly kicked himself away from the blanket of shattered masonry and turned himself towards the other two carnivorous creatures, his original antagonist disintegrating into those otherworldly breaths of spectral light. There was several moments of hesitation as the unarmed young man awaited the second attacker, already understanding the circumstances of the situation. He was completely unarmed, absolutely exhausted and effectively freezing to death. Those remaining aquatic adversaries rendered driving forward or going backward completely impossible without gambling with his own existence. The situation revolved around the philosophy known as survival of the fittest, neither party would be making any progress without drawing blood and stealing souls. The young blitzer clenched the blooded rock in his right hand and flexed his left arm in preparation, but his concentration was shattered when several rocks shifted beyond his opponents and another silhouette appeared.

"I have been cursed!" Tidus screamed within the recesses of his subconscious as the impending confrontation was interrupted by the presence of another monster which was significantly larger than the other two aquatic antagonists and considerably more menacing. The young survivor found himself immediately noticing the armored structure that remained dominant across the creature's threatening maw and powerful forearms, which almost resembled vicious razorbacked pythons. Although the intimidating monster seemed almost humanoid in appearance, the creature was driven by the four muscular tentacles that were positioned on the lowest regions of the monster's body. Several more smaller tendrils obviously utilized towards the more sensitive details sprouted from the head, each one tipped with an iridescent glow. Tidus found his unconscious analysis interrupted as the enormous creature suddenly rushed towards them, the sheer pressure sending the young blitzer reeling through the water.

Quickly recovering himself and retaining his balance, he found himself greeted with the sight of the enormous monster chomping down upon one of the smaller creatures. The remaining one attempted to escape the larger predator, but quickly found themselves assaulted by one of those bladed appendages. The sound of the pulverizing impact echoed throughout the flooded courtyard as the physical being of the carnivorous creature was reduced to several bloody chunks. The horrified young man then watched in guilty fascination as the mammoth monster then proceeded to devour the remains, through both the expected mandibles and the bladed beaks that tipped both armored arms. Although original appearing as some impassible guardian of the destroyed temple, there was no denying the realization that this mammoth beast existed to feed and devour.

The horrified castaway found himself gagging as upchucked stomach acids suddenly burned against his tenderized esophagus, brought about by the acknowledgment of the massive creature's greatest identifying trait which had somehow remained overlooked. There was an almost potbellied stomach that remained completely visible behind several imprisoning ribs and the transparent flesh that covered them. The remains of those devoured creature could already been seen appearing within the stomach, slowly evaporating into those iridescent breaths of energy which would doubtlessly be devoured by the mammoth omnivore. Several moments passed before the enormous creature turned towards the helpless young castaway that was floating there, the presence of his absolute terror unquestionable in that moment.

Those desperate cerulean eyes scanned towards the general direction from which the mammoth monster had emerged, the darkened threshold beyond the shadowed cavern almost impossible to be overlooked. The young castaway reestablished his grasp on his precious oxygen as every muscle of his athletic frame prepared for the impending struggle. The upcoming struggle was routed through his synapses and consciousness, coming to the conclusion that the process wouldn't be as important as the conclusion. In the next several moments he would either find himself surviving to confront further challenges, or his fragile existence would be brought to an end. He had refused to allow those wretched creatures that assaulted Zanarkand to kill him, he certainly wouldn't allow this behemoth to devour him.

Without further hesitation the young blitzer suddenly curved around in the cloudy seawater and immediately began thrashing his arms and legs violently, propelling himself towards the darkened threshold without restraint. The pressure of the seawater changed dramatically as the mammoth omnivore approached from behind, although the potential morsel remained determined to continue driving forward. Gloved hands and booted feet lashed against the freezing seawater and the approach of the enormous monster was soon accompanied by some manner of sucking sensation. His ivory teeth ground together as he continued pushing himself, glancing backwards for the slightest moment to bring his feet against the edge of the armored maw and push himself away.

Within moments the natural shadows of the cavern had reduced his vision in the cloudy seawater to practically nothing, but there was no questioning that his pathway to salvation was within his grasp. Through the darkness he could sea the carved edges of the stone threshold and the slightest illumination that was radiating from beyond. The desperate survival screamed with determination as the omnivore's bladed maw was suddenly surrounding his feet, those bubbles of oxygen vanishing down the monster's throat. Tidus screamed challenging obscenities towards the approaching monster, regardless of sacrificing the seemingly irrelevant oxygen as he completely passed through the shadowed threshold.

Several thousand pounds of pressure were then forced against the young blitzer as the monster slammed into the exterior wall, sending his athletic frame barreling down the submerged corridor. Tidus found himself being thrashed about across the sheer granite corridor before suddenly being blasted outwards from the flooding seawater. He grunted in obvious discomfort as his rear end rebounded off some stairs before suddenly being brought to the most abrupt stop, his back painfully slamming into another chunk of shattered stone. His mouth opened and his eyes were squeezed shut in agony, but nothing emerged from his throat as he was dropped into a seated position against the granite walls. However, in the midst of those painful moments he noticed the corridor suddenly collapsing upon itself and realized that he was finally safe, if only from those aquatic creatures.

"Ah... Goddamn it!" Tidus groaned as his gloved hands moved behind his head, feeling the small lump that had formed around the base of his cranium. The determined castaway also suspected that several bruises could probably be found across his abdomen, doubtlessly concentrated around his back and ribcage. The seawater burned upon the minor scrapes that were present upon his knees and forearms. An insidious migraine was splitting his skull asunder and the demands of his vacant stomach was pulverizing his tenderized abdomen. The taste of the seawater remained prevalent on his tongue and unsightly redness had appeared around his exhausted cerulean eyes. Throughout these painful injuries and annoying discomforts, he had somehow managed to prolong his precious existence, although to be faced with further challenges.

Several agonizing minutes passed before the wounded castaway pulled himself from the freezing fragments masonry and eventually managed recover balance upon his trembling feet. Tidus carefully walked up the decimated stairway, driven forward by the willingness to survive, the freezing temperature and the possibility that the remains of that corridor would also collapse. His heavy breathing mixed with the freezing air and hung before him as an ominous white mist. Tidus hardly noticed the thin layer of frost that coated the nearest wooden door and thoughtlessly pushed forward through the doorway following some effort. Beyond the doorway he discovered several more chunks of shattered masonry which offered little resistence in falling forward, revealing another location that possessed the same capacity to become his final resting place.

Tidus found his earliest suspicions concerning those crumbling ruins upon stepping forward into the central chamber of the ancient structure, even the most atheistic individual would have probably recognized the powerful religious influences surrounding them. The central chamber was surrounded by several mysterious statues and colorful tapestries, although nothing seemed familiar or significant to him in that moment. Standing within the lowest regions of the impressive structure, the young blitzer quickly noticed that the rainwater that was falling through the jagged spaces in the ceiling. The presence of the broken columns and shattered masonry remained characteristic of the crumbling ruin and possible flooding remained another threat.

"Cold..." Tidus growled through clinched teeth before stepping forward into the main chamber, most surprised when he noticed the charred pieces of lumber sitting in the center of the crumbling ruin. He immediately realized that somebody must have been there recently and considered the possibility that somebody might still be there. Unfortunately, there was no denying the possibility that whatever horrible disaster was responsible for the destruction of the religious complex could have happened most recently.

"...Find something to burn, Tidus." the young man whispered to himself before continuing towards the nearest doorway, pushing open one of the reinforced double doors to be confronted with the presence of a torrential downpour. Following some halfhearted consideration, those double doors were quickly closed upon one another and sealed with the sturdy wooden beam that rested nearby. Perhaps insensitive towards anybody else outside the ruined temple, the young blitzer really couldn't afford to consider anyone besides himself. Having already become personal with the vicious creatures that seemed to dominate this unknown region of the ocean, he was unprepared to familiarize himself with those that might be dwelling upon solid ground. Within moment he had turned towards another doorway and was continuing his search for burnable tender.

Several minutes passed with uncomfortable silence before Tidus returned to the central chamber, having effectively traveled and explored the spiraling corridors of the crumbling temple. Several withered flowers once organized into decorative bouquets were being carried alongside further fragments of splintered lumber. Upon reaching the remains of the exhausted campfire, he quickly piling his provisions before dropping into a seated position and twisting the withered flowers together. The young castaway then proceeded to remove the backpack which he had partially forgotten about throughout everything that had happened, having been reminded when it absorbed most of the slamming impact moments before.

Tidus quickly unzipped one of the exterior pockets of the backpack to reveal an average silver oil lighter, which he regularly carried around despite having never practiced the related habit. The cap clicked open lightly before the flint was struck and the small flame slightly illuminated the campfire before being touched to the gathered tender. The flame quickly absorbed into the tender and quickly began burning the gathered lumber, eventually producing a welcoming warmth and reassuring illumination of the surroundings. Tidus enjoyed the newfound warmth and listened to the falling rain for a few moments before returning his attention to his backpack.

Having garnered a reputation for frequently wayfaring across the northern metropolis, Tidus constantly carried his backpack around with him, usually stocked with several useful resources in the event of an emergency or simple necessity. The most obvious article were his casual clothes which he had been wearing before the tournament, obviously undamaged throughout everything that had happened. His cellular phone was also discovered in the pocket of his sports jacket, absolutely no signal and waning power prompted him to deactivate and pocket it for the moment. Tidus groaned lightly as he found nothing besides his wallet and keychain, which were essentially useless within the uncivilized environment. He possessed no delusions that his floating home was still floating on the harbors of the northern metropolis and or that his pocket money was worth anything anymore.

"At least the paper is useful." Tidus breathed as he watched several greenbacks incinerate into the flames, possessing no regrets in using the pathetic amount as tender for his campfire. His remaining belongings were subsequently returned to his backpack before the young man returned to his feet, understanding that more tender would be necessary. Having already explored the spiraling corridors that lead to the second level, his attention was drawn to the remaining wooden doors that wasn't obscured by the shattered masonry. He proceeded forward without concern and pushed through the double doors.

The young castaway was somewhat disappointed to discover that the final door lead to another corridor that remained impassible due to the crumbling ceiling. However, his unspoken prayers seemed to have been answered. Tidus found himself questioning his fortunate once more as he noticed the beautiful ceremonial longsword that was propped against the nearby corner so invitingly. He quickly registered the notable differences that existed between this ceremonial weapon and the hooked sword that had apparently belonged to his deceased father. The ceremonial blade possessed a single edge design and several mysterious runes of black and white moved down the blunt of the emerald blade.

"Somebody must really enjoy screwing around with me." Tidus chuckled upon grasping the blade and turning his attention towards the partially broken wooden desk that was sitting before him. Several moments passed before the young man suddenly whipped the ceremonial blade backwards and brought the threatening edge down upon the desk. Several more blows essentially splintered the desk into numerous fragments which would become much more manageable to his fledgling campfire.

Gathering the pieces of lumber, the young survivor immediately vacated the crumbling corridor and began stocking his campfire for whatever remained of the treacherous evening. The next morning he would proceed outside with his newfound weapon and hopefully his instincts and intuition would continue carrying him towards salvation. At the moment however, his exhausted body demanded immediate respite beside the billowing flames he was determined to continue feeding. Tidus honestly hoped that the remainder of the evening would be relatively peaceful, completely ignorant to the knowledge that he wasn't alone and that there were others swiftly approaching his location. One seeking shelter and the other seeking nourishment, both unwilling to challenge him in order to achieve either.

Tidus found himself unable to slumber following almost two hours beside the healthy campfire, the thickened fragments of the shattered furniture burning slowly. His discomfort had prompted him to remove the bronzed armguard, resting the protective armor alongside his backpack which he was currently considering a pillow. The yellow zipper shirt had been removed along with the suspenders that connected to the waist jacket. Those characteristic gloves were also removed and placed alongside the billowing campfire, leaving nothing on his upper body besides the jewelry that adorned his neck and wrist. His attention completely drawn towards the flickering embers that danced before him, the ceremonial longsword positioned nearby. Sleep continued to refuse him.

Tidus found himself much too unnerved to slumber within those crumbling ruins and much too distracted by the various memories that absolutely dominated his thoughts. Several memories revolved around his former relationship with his distanced mentor, those countless challenges that had been surpassed under his guidance and the inspiration that was drawn from the mysterious wayfarer's friendship. However, he found himself questioning the unexplained recent actions of his distanced mentor, those same developments that had deposited him within this unknown territory. Tidus refused to believe that he had been betrayed, although his headache was becoming worse in attempting to contemplate his mentor's ultimate reasons. The searing agony between his eyes grew worse and his confusion swiftly devoured his patience, the young blitzer was suddenly on his feet.

"Where are you, Auron?! What were you thinking?!" he shouted angrily towards the crumbling roof when suddenly something shifted in the shadows and the blitzer turned his attention towards the watching presence as another lightning bolt illuminated the chamber. Two crimson orbs of blazing flame glared back towards him, an aggressive battlecry emerging from behind two rows of carnivorous fangs. Tidus instinctively prepared himself before the creature suddenly jumped from where it was perched on the balcony of the second floor and touched down with considerable force. Those bloodthirsty embers glared towards the lone human from beyond the billowing flames that separated them, concentrating upon the potential morsel standing before them. Four pointed legs tapped against the ground and the narrow tail whipped through the air, this new monster closely resembling a prowling panther.

Several tense moments passed before suddenly both of them made towards the other. The dedicated castaway snatched up his newfound weapon before the creature suddenly lashed one bladed claw through the campfire, sending the flaming lumber in various directions. The creature then lunged forward and swung one forearm towards the light-footed blitzer, three bladed claws snapping out and slicing through the air without mercy. Tidus responded by correcting his blade and swinging the deadly edge towards the exposed bone, although he only managed to strike the granite floor before swiftly dodging another blow. The monster recovered its footing and sharply roared, the clicking sound of it's rapidly moving feet against the floor almost seeming characteristic at this point.

"Alright! Come on!" Tidus shouted towards the creature before it suddenly moved and took another swipe, the cold air crushing across the blitzer's bare upper body as he jumped back. The creature hardly possessed the time to pull back its own claw before the boy jumped back and the deadly edge of the ceremonial longsword cut a painful gash into the thickened hide. The vicious monster roared angrily before suddenly the narrow tail cracked through the freezing air in the same manner of any whip before the monster lunged forward. Without the opportune time to effective dodge the attack, the young man instinctively turned himself around and attempted to lean away from the blows. Something in his throat twitched as several shallow scratches were suddenly etched across his tenderized back, his momentum carrying his blade back around to hack into one of the offending claws.

Both the novice combatant and vicious monster dropped back and soon found themselves circling one another, both of them mentally questioning the severity of their injuries. The hungry monster growled and snapped towards the young-blooded swordsman, the ceremonial longsword moved in threatening practice swings. Both opponents exchanged battlecries between one another, completely unknowing that somebody was overhearing the encounter. It was moments before they were prepared to continue that both discovered their attention drawn towards the sealed double doors. Both jumped to attention as some unknown entity slammed into the outside twice with considerable force, the wooden beam straining and metal hinges grunting with discontent. The pounding then ceased without explanation and a moment passed before the adrenaline within the chamber peaked dramatically.

Without warning the wooden beam was suddenly splinted by an unprecedented explosion which blasted the scorched fragments of the double doors into the central chamber, several of them coming uncomfortably close to either of the two occupied opponents. Before the determined castaway could possibly comprehend what was happening, several individuals suddenly appeared within the crumbling threshold. These four strangers were dressed in some fairly uncommon clothing that was clearly designed for exposure to the sun and surf of the open ocean. The finer details actually escaped him considering the dominating shadows, but perhaps the most noticeable feature amongst these four were the unnatural bayonet rifles and flamethrowers they held in their possession. Without further hesitation they suddenly rushed forward into a practiced formation and leveled these weapons towards both combatants, effectively freezing the young blitzer where he stood.

Tidus breathed slowly as somebody suddenly appeared before those on the firing squad, an unusually dressed young woman that was rolling her wrists and cracking her knuckles before stepping towards the bladed monster and surprisingly came to stand alongside the amateur swordsman. While those four men standing on the firing line seemed to possess no obvious purpose surrounding their unusual attire, his unexpected partner was wearing an obvious cream wetsuit. The majority of her visage remained concealed by the helmet she was wearing, while her eyes were hidden behind some reflective goggles. Her slender frame was also equipped with several rusty colored devices including doubtlessly designed to assist her while submerged under moderate depths. The young girl's light-footed stance also seemed to broadcast her existence as an experienced fighter, starring down those bloodthirsty eyes without any obvious discomfort.

"Watch yourself." the blitzer managed to whisper towards the young girl, his cerulean eyes never leaving the prepared form of the incredibly swift hunter. She glanced towards him before looking back to the creature, which suddenly moved towards the blitzer and lashed outwards with those wretched claws. Tidus was prepared and quickly lashed his sword up to hold his left hand against the blunt, catching the claw and then quickly whipping the blade around with considerable effort. The monster roared and stumbled backwards as one of the forearms was completely severed and it slowly managed itself onto the remaining three.

"Are you done yet?!" Tidus snapped as the creature roared towards both of them, apparently still believing it was possible to obtain either of them as a potential meal. Tidus suddenly found himself fearful as the girl suddenly pulled her hand away from the reverse of her munitions belt and emerged holding an exceedingly familiar metal object. There was no denying the potentially dangerous presence of the hand grenade that the young woman skillfully prepared and suddenly chucked through the air towards the monster. Tidus shielded himself with his bare arm as the grenade exploded immediately following contact with the bladed creature, effectively blasting the foul beast several miles beyond kingdom come.

Smoldering fragments of the creature were tossed across the central chamber, several vanishing into those iridescent lights before even managing to bloody the surroundings. The ceremonial longsword was casually dropped to the ground as the firing line dropped from formation and approached in uniform movement. Tidus seemed preoccupied as the young girl removed those obstructive goggles and then glanced back towards him, revealing two extremely vibrant emerald eyes. Tidus dropped his arms to his sides completely ignorant of the gunners that had circled around, foolishly anticipating that they were inspecting something else "Where did you get those—?"

Tidus found himself interrupted by his own pained grunt as several calloused fingers suddenly grabbed a handful of his dirty blonde hair and aggressively pulled him backwards. He struggled wildly to avoid falling backwards and pulling his blonde strands from the roots, instinctively addressing some halfhearted demand that they release him. He found himself completely silent when two weapons were suddenly tamed upon him, one bayonet rifle and one wide-mouthed flamethrower.

"Ruf ec drec buccepma?! Cusauha yldiymmo cinjejat?!" one of the rifleman standing before him suddenly questioned in some manner of foreign language that didn't sound anything like standard.

"Oac, ed fuimt caas cu!" the bearded man that grasped his hair suddenly stated. Although the young blitzer couldn't understand anything that was being said between them, he translated their voices as being genuinely surprised and considerably aggravated by his presence.

"Tuac drec uha pamuhk du Yevon?" the second rifleman suddenly snapped, apparently putting his attention towards the bearded man that was holding him. Whatever was being communicated resulted in considerable discomfort to the blonde blitzer as the roots of his hair were used to rotate him during the analysis of the senior man.

"Ra buccaccac cdnyhka lmudrac yht meddma bydeahla. Ra tuach'd caas luhhaldat du dra dasbma." the older individual mused towards his peers in that alien language, although his tone was comforting and nowhere near as accusing as those before "Ra sekrd ryja paah crebfnalgat rana nalahdmo."

"Ra sekrd ymcu pa vummufehk ic.?!" an aggressive individual wearing concealing mask suddenly snapped before pressing a wicked blade against the tender throat of the blitzer "Fa cruimt gemm res pavuna ra lyh lyica dnuipma."

"Fyed!" the young girl suddenly shouted toward the man holding the knife, grasping his attention and causing the overall pressure of the blade to be reduced substantially "Oui raynt sa! Bid ouin pmyta yfyo!"

"Fro?" the knife wielder fired back in response apparently challenging the reasons of the small battalion's youngest member, flipping his blade around to point towards her "Drao yna ymm dra cysa eh taydr!"

"Famm, aqyldmo fryd kejac oui dra nekrd du taleta yhodrehk?" the young girl responded angrily "Yna oui cu yhqeuic du pa lymmat y sintanan?"

"Veha." the man suddenly lowered the blade, apparently having been calmed down. Upon returning the deadly weapon to the sheath on his right leg however, he approached the younger peer standing before him "Fryd tu oui bnubuca fa tu fedr res? Ra luimt palusa dnuipmacusa."

"Fa crymm dyga res fedr ic yht nadinh res du dra syehmyht. Fa lyhhud mayja res rana." the young girl then turned and began walking away, motioning for the riflemen to follow in her footsteps. The weapons were quickly withdrawn and both men proceeded after their youngest member, essentially confirming her authority within the mysterious group. The masked man grunted something incoherently before nodding towards the bearded man who suddenly released the young man in response.

Before the determined castaway could even comprehend turning around and revealing his discontent with such brutish treatment, something solid was suddenly slammed into the base of his cranium. His knees buckled and he dropped to the ground before suddenly dropping forward on his chest, his consciousness rapidly fading with lingering visions of one man gathering his belongings and the other gathering him. Inevitably slipping into unconsciousness, he found himself questioning exactly what challenges would be awaiting him when he awakened. Some part of him was hoping that perhaps everything was an insane dream while another part of him laughed at the prospect that his limited imagination could have ever envisioned his recent experiences.

END OF CHAPTER FOUR

Author's Note: **Anybody that has played through the original game probably realizes that the discussion between our mysterious friends is not the same material, anybody bothering the translate the communication is probably wondering about the changes. It has always confused me how they were questioning the humanity of our protagonist one moment and then they are demanding that he work to avoid being thrown overboard. There are several decent translators on the internet for those willing to examine the language, although this is probably the only scene that will be significantly altered. The next chapter will probably be the last section of the introduction before immediately moving towards the beginning of the pilgrimage. I personally find myself anticipating the inevitable interactions between my revitalized version of the main character and the supporting cast. Your thoughts and impressions are important to me, so please review.**

Currently Pending: **Spelling check. Grammar check. Syntax check.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Five

Tidus found himself awakening once more, this time it was the throbbing bruising and painful scratches that served as the confirming signs that he somehow remained amongst the living. The young blitzer's unsatisfied stomach whispered the softest groans of discontent within his ears and his headache had become worsened by the refreshed lump on the base of his cranium. Without having encountered any dreams or nightmares during his slumbers, he quickly recollected everything that had happened before one of those mysterious people decided to knock him unconscious. Within moments he found himself mentally rehearsing everything that had happened and questioning several subjects concerning these strange people. Unfortunately, Tidus once again found himself clueless to his current location. 

Before even opening his exhausted eyes, Tidus already realized that he would be finding himself in another unfamiliar place beyond the crumbling ruins of that mysterious temple. The young blitzer found himself pressed down against some manner of metallic paneling, those traditional industrial ridges digging into his face. The rocking motion and the scent of the open ocean essentially confirmed that he had been taken onboard whatever vessel his captors had arrived on. Without further hesitation he slowly began pulling himself to his feet and peeled open his eyelids to reveal the forward deck of an unfamiliar salvage vessel. However, his next vision involved one of the two present crewmen suddenly approaching him.

"Ced, lybdeja!" the man snapped before roughly shoving him backwards, knocking him into the security railing and leaving to blitzer to be dropped onto his backside. Tidus barely acknowledged the unfamiliar language as much as the obvious orders to remain where they had bothered placing him.

"What is your problem?!" Tidus angrily responded, the wind having been knocked out of him.

"Hu sujehk, rayn?!" the second man barked before turning his weapon on the younger man, leaving little room for argument before the apparent captive settled into his corner. There was some discussion between the two men and several minutes passed before the hatchway on the other side of the deck opened and the rifleman withdrew his weapon. Two silhouettes marched through the corridor before the automatic shutter closed, both of them seemed interested in the captured castaway. Tidus immediately recognized the young girl from before, still wearing the various articles of the moderate diving equipment, although there was nothing familiar about the newcomer she trailed behind.

The newcomer was doubtlessly the commander of this vessel, considering the extreme confidence and authority that he seemed to display in his movements. The horribly unstylish mohawk and shaded goggles seemed inappropriate, but were unquestioned considering his position and demeanor. The primary element of his casual attire seemed to be the baggy charcoal pants that were supported by some burgundy suspenders. These were accented by common black boots and studded gauntlets, although his bare chested nature displayed an alarming amount of azure flame tattoos across his muscular frame. Upon closer inspection, anybody would have noticed the small scars that criss crossed around his chest and abdomen. Although no more than twenty years old, there was no questioning within those earliest moments that the apparent commander possessed the demeanor and physique of an unfortunate existence. Whoever this young man was, his experiences would have probably made the younger man much more accepting of his own recent misfortunes.

"Caynlr res!" the commander ordered upon approach in that strange language. The young girl responded by walking behind him and pulling him to his feet by his left arm, holding it lightly behind his back as some manner of precaution. Their captive would have happily announced that such action was unnecessary, but had accepted the probability that nobody present could speak standard. When one considered that he remained just as challenged with their language, conversation between them would remain completely devoid of progress.

The commander hesitated before going into several motions relative to swimming, grunting out instructions in his native tongue and apparently never realizing how ridiculous he looked throughout the entirety of the instruction. Having already been through enough to pulverize his limited patience, the rising blitzer wore an uninterested expression that masked his confusion, eventually huffing in response "Right, whatever."

"Tu oui hud cbayg?" the young commander questioned as he straightened himself and removed another pair of shaded goggles from one of his deep pockets. Tidus glanced elsewhere, disregarding the apparent foreigner poking him in the shoulder. He continued vainly gesturing towards the goggles and the distant horizon until it became obvious that their captive couldn't understand him. Slowly crossing his toned arms over the muscular frame of his tattooed chest, Tidus considered this an invitation for him to attempt communication once more.

"I told you I don't understand." the young blitzer huffed through his annoyance "Can anybody here speak standard?"

"Ehcumahla!" Tidus remained stationary and undeterred as one of the rifleman suddenly pointed his weapon towards their annoyed captive. The bayonet dropped into stance six inches from his exposed abdomen, but the castaway was thoroughly convinced that these were probably idle threats. He also realized that he would never have been able to convince them, regardless of how aggressive or demanding they became.

"Fyed!" the young girl snapped towards the rifleman before releasing his arm, the authority carried in her youthful voice probably attributing to the rifleman lowering his weapon. She immediately turned her attention towards their confused captive before speaking "We've decided you can stay if you can make yourself useful."

"What?!" Tidus practically choked on his present breath before twisting around to face the young girl, his sudden outburst causing her the flinch somewhat.

"I said that you can stay if..." she began again, but was immediately interrupted.

"You understand me?!" Tidus found himself absolutely flabbergasted that things could have progressed to potential violence before she bothered revealing her abilities to speak and understand his language. Tidus would have been prepared to begin demanding explanations for this inconceivable hesitation, never realizing that he was practically shouting in the young girl's face. No sooner after his second outburst did the captured castaway discover himself struggling to maintain his balance, his blatant insolence being rewarded with an aggressive elbow to his upper back.

Several moments passed by with him contemplating his position, his light growling and tightly clinched fists evidence of his supreme dissatisfaction. He took another breath before speaking "Alright! I'll work!"

* * *

Spending several minutes talking with the young girl, Tidus soon discovered that there really wasn't much to explain about these people or the current situation on which they were requesting his assistance. She remained deliberately vague in revealing that her comrades were on assignment salvaging something important from the bottom of the ocean. Tidus understood that she wouldn't elaborate further although questioning the situation revealed that the campfire he resurrected had belonged to them. Perhaps his good fortunes had provided that these mysterious nomads would be bypassing those crumbling ruins and become inspired to investigate upon noticing the devastation. Further questioning upon the matter would reveal that three weeks earlier, those crumbling structures created an absolutely magnificent salvation called the Baaj Temple. Tidus thought it strange that he had never heard of it. 

The cautious captive remained completely silent as several other members of this mysterious group continued searching the ocean floor nearby, having tracked their objective to an underwater canyon somewhere in the darkness of the ocean depths. Tidus wasn't exactly thrilled about risking further encounters with carnivorous fish, but it didn't seem that his captors would be sending him unarmed. Thankfully understanding their prisoner's present disposition, the mysterious nomads returned his personal belongings and allowed him to redress himself in his uniform, including the nonporous gloves and bronzed armguard. Tidus suspected that the commander retained possession of the ceremonial longsword considering that it was missing, however he found himself unprepared to discuss it as the riflemen never seemed to loosen their grasp on their deadly weapons.

Tidus had found himself leaning against the railing of the ship, continuing to wordlessly question which ocean the vessel was floating upon, when one of the divers suddenly shouted something to the upper decks in that unfamiliar language. Several messages were extended between those onboard and those in the ocean, their general excitement serving as evidence that the situation had encountered an unexpected problem. This chaotic chatter was swiftly silenced as the commander began issuing orders to his crewmates, eventually motioning the young girl toward their captive before returning inside to resume his other responsibilities. Apparently understanding her importance, she approached him without delay.

"What's going on? You find what you were looking for?" Tidus questioned as she appeared alongside him, sounding rather uninterested considering his services seemed to be going unrewarded.

"We have determined that it is somewhere below us, but working in the shadows of the canyon is much too dangerous with those creepies swimming around." the girl explained with several unnerving expressions before announcing their involvement "We have a solution however. There are some ancient ruins somewhere nearby and according to our readings there should still be some power remaining. We are going to go down there and activate it, then we should be able to...salvage the big prize!"

"Uh-huh." Tidus murmured, the deliberate ambiguousness surrounding the situation beginning to wear on his nerves. He could have probably tolerated her telling him absolutely nothing, but pretending that he actually understood exactly what was happening was truly annoying.

"Locating those ancient ruins shouldn't be too hard, according to our salvagers they should be somewhere near the starboard anchor." she indicated towards the chain which was visible even above the waves.

"You're not sending me down there unarmed, are you?" Tidus questioned before glancing back towards the doorway into the vessel, suspecting that the commander might have retained possession of the elaborate blade. Having already seen exactly what existed beneath the waves of this unknown ocean, he was unprepared to count on somebody else to protect him. Although he remained less than confident in his own abilities, he found himself rather unwilling to place his well-being in the hands of somebody whose only demonstrated combat abilities involved chucking grenades. The young girl initially responded by removing one of the two belts that were buckled around her waist and extended it towards him, the leather supporting an effective looking shortsword.

"You probably shouldn't bother worrying about that ceremonial blade, something that heavy would be completely useless in underwater combat." she casually lectured. Tidus didn't respond as he buckled the shortsword around his waist, already understanding several advantages that the lightweight weapon possessed over the massive scimitar. Having already encountered the incredibly quick adversaries that resided underwater, he understood how the swiftness of the shorter blade would prove useful. Tidus also realized that the unimpressive shortsword was deliberately designed for actual confrontations, while the elaborate blade was originally created for ceremonial purposes. He breathed and then nodded towards her, an unspoken confirmation of his readiness to continue.

"Alright! Let's get to work!" she said before approaching the nearby security railing with unexpected gusto. Tidus watched from his corner as her slender hands slapped down against the railing and then she performed an impressive forward flip over the side of the vessel and into the ocean. His energetic partner emerged moments later and motioned for him to follow, obviously challenging her uninspired partner to display his own abilities. Although understanding the seriousness of the situation, Tidus was never one to refuse an obvious challenge and immediately stepped back several paces before bolting forward. Many of the bystanding nomads watched in amusement as Tidus sharply jumped forward and kicked himself off the railing, flipping twice through the air before striking the seawater in a standard diving formation. His unnamed partner seemed unimpressed.

Within moments the captive castaway and the unnamed nomad were following the massive chains of the unnatural salvage vessel which would inevitable lead them to their destination, which would probably be accented by the crushing results of the anchor when they arrived. The seawater of the open ocean was rather comfortable compared to the freezing liquid he had been transversing recently and the presence of those aquatic monsters was almost non-existent. The overall situation seemed considerably calm compared to his experiences at the crumbling temple. Although they were forced to suffer through two encounters against carnivorous fish of the standard variety, he never even managing to even draw his shortsword before his partner solved the problems.

Tidus Ashtear suddenly found himself feeling rather foolish for underestimating her impressive combat abilities from which those familiar explosive devices remained absent. The unnamed nomad possessed multiple implements of self-defense that revolved around stealth and swiftness, which were probably designed to improvise upon her slender frame. Following the young scavenger provided an excellent view of the three grenades that were secured in individual pockets around her belt, as well as three small knives that were sheathed around her left thigh. The most obvious offensive measure was the hunting blade that was strapped around skintight material surrounding her right thigh, although he quickly discovered that this was positioned to conceal her primary weapon in an ingenious display of sneakiness and deception.

Strapped around her right forearm was an apparatus that was doubtlessly something this young woman had designed and created herself, otherwise the young blitzer would have probably suspected it. Essentially crafted to resemble the deadly fangs of most venomous serpents, snapping forward into offensive position following some specific motion of her wrist. Although seeming unorthodox, the effectiveness of these spring-loaded claws couldn't have been denied. Throughout their descent towards the ocean floor, these vicious compact blades cleaving through seven of those carnivorous fish by the time the unlikely partners arrived at the submerged ruins. Tidus' shortsword remained sheathed and unused and he was honestly beginning to wonder exactly why she needed his assistance.

Upon their arrival, Tidus quickly realized that these ancient ruins they were dispatched to explore were actually the derelict remains of the southern islands' thermoelectric power plants. Known to be inspired by the technological advances of the northern metropolis, these facilities had received considerable attention almost three years earlier. Ingeniously constructed underwater to gather the unlimited thermal energy from the volcanic fissures that spider-webbed across the ocean floor, currently around one hundred of these impressive facilities were supposed to be suppling energy to the countless southern islands. Although the novice swordsman realized that the presence of this facility revealed that he was somewhere in the southern oceans, he found himself wondering how these recently constructed facilities could have fallen into such disrepair. However, asking questions several hundred feet underwater remained an unfortunate obstacle.

Neither partner bothered passing signals as they moved through an open section of the surrounding fence and immediately proceeded through another separation that was present in the foundation. They immediately found themselves entering the rooms that would contain the generator they were supposed to reactivate, although the northerner was less than confident they would work. The small facility seemed to have been abandoned long ago and the sheer extent of overgrowth and decomposition that dominated the power plant was unbelieveable.

Underwater vegetation was growing up through the reinforced flooring, considerable rust dominated every metallic surface within the chambers and the sheer concrete walls were webbed with cracks. Tidus would have also wagered his impressive career that these submerged facilities were not intended to be completely flooded by unfiltered seawater. Considering that this was one of several facility that was reportedly successful, the sheer amount of natural decomposition didn't cooperate with common sense.

Growing uncomfortable with the darkness, his nameless partner activated an incredibly bright flare which illuminated their depressing surroundings and revealed the corridor into the next chamber. Tidus followed his unnamed partner into the next room, quickly noticing the control panels that surrounded the powerful generator which had become marinated in the invading seaweed. She glanced back towards him before motioning towards the corridor, she then proceeded to ascend towards the controls without hesitation. Tidus realized there was no questioning her technical understanding of the facility and obediently unsheathed his borrowed shortsword before turning towards the sole passageway. The captive castaway figured he would be playing guardian while the nameless nomad fiddled with the various valves and knobs that surrounded the generator's control center.

Those burning flares quickly proved themselves useful as several more of those seawater piranhas suddenly charged down the corridor and launched themselves towards to two unlikely partners. Tidus instinctively swiped his borrowed blade through the brightened water and tore through one of the attackers before quickly moving around and striking another. The remaining three halted just beyond the corridor as their brethren disintegrated into those supernatural sprites, the novice swordsman prepared to continue his bloodletting.

Tidus was pleased to discover that the lightweight blade moved through the seawater with polished swiftness, matching the natural speed of the bloodthirsty piranhas. There was some hesitation before they moved forward, two of them dropping to the shortsword's bloody edge while the third managed to get within snapping distance. Tidus kicked backwards as those broad jaws snapped closed inches from his throat, flipping backwards and coming up with the sword to cut into the vicious little creature's tender belly.

Following the necessary bloodshed, the seaweed covered generator suddenly began whirling and the remaining energy began flowing throughout the compact facility. Responding to the flowing energy, those several dormant lighting suddenly activated throughout the two chamber building moments before the flares expired. Meanwhile, the massive floodlights that were positioned around the exterior of the building slowly flashed into existence and illuminated the ocean floor an impressive distance.

Tidus glanced beyond the nearby windows to see several of the divers entering the waves and following the provided illumination into the canyon. He figured that whatever these mysterious nomads were searching for had probably been revealed with the assistance of the compact facilities lighting. The vision of his nameless partner descending and motioning towards the corridor also confirmed that there wouldn't be further reason to remain within such a forsaken place.

Tidus sheathed the shortsword before immediately following the young woman, seamlessly gliding through the shadowed seawater and remaining vigilant concerning the various creatures that lurked beneath the waves of the southern ocean. The young blitzer's sharpened instincts suddenly flared upon noticing the silhouette suddenly moving through the illumination of the reactivated lighting and the considerable shift in the water pressure. Within that same second he realized that something was in the adjacent chamber.

In that same moment the two arrived towards the edge of the corridor, he lashed out one hand to snatch his partner's ankle and sharply pull her backwards. Before she could even contemplate shooting annoyed leers, an enormous silhouette suddenly swooped down upon where she had been floating the slightest moment earlier. Something snapped through the seawater in the passage of their newest adversary, having been looking to turn the unnamed nomad into an uncooked delicacy. Apparently dissatisfied with such underhanded sneakiness, the unnamed nomad growled before launching herself from the corridor and positioning herself before the confused abomination that had probably become attracted by the reactivation of the power plant.

Tidus followed and unsheathed his borrowed sword before coming alongside his partner, glancing towards her before analyzing their newest opponent that thought to challenge them. The creature before them proved to be another aquatic abomination whose general foundation was considerably similar to an octopus, although the creature only possessed six massive tentacles. The biggest difference was probably the fact that this monster was over twenty times larger than those smaller creatures that could normally be found in certain restaurants. There was an enormous shell positioned on the mutant's head, unintentionally serving as some manner of wicked protective helmet. Those bladed jaws snapped before the monster suddenly bolted towards them without hesitation, the powerful creature destabilizing the surrounding seawater with every powerful moment.

Tidus growled as the monster turned to confront them, moving towards the young swordsman and swinging downward with those muscular tentacles. Tidus was driven downward through the seawater, but quickly recovered and kicked away before the monster could attempt crushing him. Apparently annoyed the first of the potential prey wouldn't surrender, the monster lunged towards the nameless nomad before she suddenly kicked forward. She slipped around the abomination's tentacles and lashed outwards with her right arm, two painful lacerations appearing across the monster's exposed flesh. Tidus kicked himself from the bottom of the chamber to come alongside her, tightening his grasp around the handle of the shortsword.

Both combatants braced themselves as the monster suddenly moved forward with surprising speed, offering them little opportunity to maneuver before an unprecedented amount of ink was expelled into the freshly illuminated seawater. Forgetting himself, the rising blitzer immediately moved upwards as the cloud began enveloping the determined survivors, never noticing his partner's warning gestures. Their hungry opponent was awaiting him when he emerged over the black cloud, two muscular tentacles darting towards him the moment he escaped the stained seawater. One quickly wrapped around his abdomen and another locked over his left shoulder, both of them pulling towards those carnivorous jaws.

"Ahhhh!!" Tidus screamed in agony as the tentacle around his abdomen applied incredible pressure against his tenderized abdomen, the potential victim barely managing to position his booted feet against the hardened flanks of the monster's snapping jaws. Those grasping tentacles began waving him around through the stained seawater, hardly registering the halfhearted hacking motions of the shortsword against them. The young blitzer fought to remain in possession of his remaining oxygen, suddenly resorting to drastic measures and stabbing downwards upon the entrapping appendage. The octopus bellowed in agony as the tentacle loosened and the nameless nomad suddenly appeared to deliver an equally painful slash down the base of the remaining tentacle.

The young girl then glanced towards her partner who still found himself captured around his left shoulder, those other tentacles bracing against the support beam in the center of the room. Snapping her wrist backwards, those bladed claws were removed from offensive position and her hand moved to retrieve another fragmentation grenade from her utility belt. Tidus found himself choking down his pounding heart as the creature continued pulling on him, those vicious jaws opened wide and gluttonous, prepared to swallow him whole if necessary. In that moment, his partner's plotting suddenly came to him and the novice swordsman nodded before bracing himself for whatever happened next.

Boldly risking the potential threat of the remaining tentacles, the young girl swiftly moved to her partner and passed over the explosive device before retreating from another grasping appendage. Tidus grunted as he removed the pin and then chucked it towards the monster's open mouth, kicking down upon the emerald device for good measure. The tentacled terror gagged with dissatisfaction as the heavy orb grinded against it's throat, offering more than enough distraction for the deadly shortsword to be driven into the base of the second tentacle.

Tidus found himself released and immediately kicked himself away from the monster before the grenade exploded and several shockwaves reverberated through the stained seawater. The mutant octopus perished rather painfully before vanishing into those iridescent lights that continued to bring the rising blitzer endless confusion and negative predictions. Unfortunately, everybody else around him that had seen this phenomenon seemed unimpressed.

Tidus glanced backwards as his unnamed partner tapped him on the shoulder and motioned towards the compact facility's dedicated entryway. Nobody would have been surprised that she also desired freedom from this forsaken place as much as the captive castaway. Thus, there was no further deliberation in evacuating the submerged facility, as nobody found themselves willing to continue fighting these strange creatures.

The considerable strain upon the blitzer's lungs prevented him from instinctually murmuring his amazement with the incredible scene that was standing before him. With the power successfully restored, those several floodlights that populated the exterior of the submerged structure brilliantly illuminated the ocean floor for several miles. Those mysterious scavengers had already repositioned themselves above and several divers could be seen returning from the ocean floor, apparently having located whatever they were searching for. Tidus thoughtlessly followed his unnamed partner back towards the group's strange vessel, having become much too exhausted to possess any interest concerning their ambiguously mentioned big prize.

"Fa vuiht dra yencreb! Fa vuiht dra yencreb!" one of the scavengers shouted enthusiastically upon clearing the ladder that had been dropped, the blitzball star grumbling something incoherent about their foreign language seeming to mock him every moment.

"E lyhhud pameaja ed! Dra naluntc fana nekrd!" another responded as the three divers moved towards the solitary doorway into the ship. That same unnamed girl could be seen standing on the other side, having boarded before everybody else proceeded to follow. The man eventually spoke again "Huf, ruf tu fa tnyk ed ib?"

Tidus Ashtear aimlessly followed them as they continued conversing between one another in that unidentified language that remained unfamiliar to the young blitzer. Considering that their general conversation could have been anything between their successful discovery or the distasteful weather that loomed above them, there was really no guessing the content of their discussion. Tidus found his concern directed more towards something to satisfy the grumbling void of his empty stomach and perhaps somewhere to slumber for the approaching evening. These meager expectations were shattered when the doorman turned and shoved him backwards, the final few divers passing though the divide. Tidus sheepishly attempted to enter once more and found himself roughly shoved back "Oui, uidceta!"

"Come on! Give me a break!" Tidus instinctively shouted, the offending hand's movement to stabilize the doorman's threatening firearm effectively silencing their captive once more. He stepped backwards away from the entryway before the mechanics whirled and it slowly closed, effectively locking him on the forward deck. Tidus angrily kicked the armored blast door twice before turning around to face the horizon of the southern ocean, completely uninterested in the unfamiliar sunset that was taking place beyond the storm clouds. He growled before dropping back against some crates and lashing his left elbow against them, effectively punching an impressive dent in the thin alloy before reclining against the crates "Is a little mercy and compassion too much to ask?"

Almost answering his undirection question, several lightning bolts suddenly thrashed through the darkened clouds above and the thunder rumbled for several miles. There was some unnerving silence before those clouds suddenly released their restrained boon upon the salvage ship. Tidus growled as the temperate raindrops began mercilessly pelting the paneling of the forward deck and began soaking him to the bone. Tidus rolled his eyes before slamming his elbow into the crate against before completely reclining and surrendering to his seemingly hopeless situation "I suppose so."

* * *

Tidus Ashtear would soon discover himself pathetically sprawled out across the metallic paneling of the forward deck nearly three hours following the beginning of the torrential thunderstorm, his agonizing hunger having made the unwilling adventurer completely oblivious to those pelting raindrops. His neglected stomach continued groaning in aggressive discontent and threatened to begin collapsing upon itself unless nourishment was supplied. His crushing hunger and blatant exhaustion was also beginning to bring weakness upon his athletic frame and his vigorous nature was rapidly fading into obscurity. The sheathed shortsword was rapidly becoming a distant temptation, although he obviously lacked the resolve to move against his trigger-happy captors. 

The young blitzer found himself much too distracted with his own miserable analysis of his own current misery to notice the obvious footsteps that clicked alongside the pelting raindrops. However, his undivided attention was acquired when something suddenly stopped moving and knocked his right arm from under his reclined head. Tidus sharply pulled himself into a seated position before turning himself towards the offender, having processed the possibility that his captors might toss him overboard. However, his right hand quickly moved away from the shortsword to slap down upon the soaked deck upon recognizing the person that stood over him.

The unnamed nomad looked down at the starving captive for several moments before kneeling down and carefully placing something before him, a food tray that was almost overflowing with various portions. The surprised blitzer quickly registered the steady steam that was rising from what appeared to be some manner of meat and pasta combination. There was also a baked potato and several portions of both fruits and vegetables that seemed to surround the unfamiliar main course. Although the precise identities of the smaller servings never registered to the blitzball star, he immediately retrieved the two pronged fork from the edge of the tray and urgently began filling the void of his stomach.

Within moments the determined castaway had completely consumed the fruits and vegitables and was already working on the steaming potato, never addressing the uncomfortable burning sensation that danced around his mouth with every gluttonous bite. Both the outer skin and inner sweetness vanished within sixty seconds and the fork began driving into the meat and pasta combination. With his neglected stomach guiding his body, Tidus' mind couldn't process the precise identity of anything he was so rapidly consuming, or even register some passable civility before his generous captor. Ironically enough, it was the final bite where one of the delicious chunks suddenly became lodged in his throat and he began choking rather seriously.

"You really shouldn't eat so fast." the unnamed nomad announced before dropping an unimpressive canteen in the center of the soiled tray, there were no questions asked as he quickly grabbed it and swiftly drained the contained freshwater. He dropped back against the crates once again and took several breathed before acknowledging his recent partner, who seemed somewhat shocked by his display. She then cocked her head to one side "I should have brought more, exactly how long has it been since you had anything to eat?"

"Sorry, I couldn't tell you." Tidus murmured in apology for his distasteful behavior "I'm actually unsure concerning several things lately. I'm mostly wondering exactly how I managed to show up in the southern ocean."

"Well you've already explained that you're not associated with that temple." the unnamed nomad pondered, remembering the young blitzer's earlier questions concerning those crumbling ruins where they had discovered him "Some of the others have actually suggested that you might have been shipwrecked or imprisoned, otherwise you probably wouldn't be standing here."

"Shipwrecked, huh?" Tidus grumbled as he stood to his feet and began walking around the forward deck, attempting to circulate the newfound strength throughout his body. The young girl meanwhile moved to lean against the security railings and monitor the illumination coming from the underwater facility. He soon turned towards her with one question that had remained unanswered "Who exactly are you guys, anyway?"

"We're Al Bhed. Can't you tell?" her tone in asking this question almost seemed rhetorical, strongly laced with the ever-present jubilance that seemed characteristic of her youthful voice and appearance. There was some contemplation before she turned towards him with genuine concern in her emerald eyes as she leaned back against the security railing "You're not an Al Bhed hater, are you?"

"I don't even know what an Al Bhed is!" Tidus announced before continuing his pacing across the metallic paneling glancing towards her before asking another question that should have been asked sooner "What is your name?"

"Hmm. Give me yours and I'll give you mine." Rikku replied cheekily.

"Tidus Ashtear, and you are...?"

"My name is Rikku." she answered, still possessing those bright tones.

"Well, I've never heard of you guys until just now," Tidus explained, absently rubbing his shoulder between breaths "Although I'm not exactly fond of everybody in your group trying to strong-arm me."

"Hmm. Where are you from?" Rikku questioned curiously.

"Zanarkand. Just another born and bred blitzball player." Tidus answered almost immediately before acknowledging the confused and questioning expression that had materialized across the features of his company. There was some hesitation before the blitzball star brought out his hands and made an impressive kicking motion in the attempt to break whatever communication barrier had become reestablished between them. Tidus doubted that the islanders were without the submerged sport and opted to reveal his identity "Ahem...The Captain and Star Player of the Zanarkand Abes..."

"Did you hit your head or something?" the young girl questioned him as she stepped from the security railing, apparently finding herself unable to respond with anything else.

"Uh..." Tidus was confused "Your people knocked me out earlier."

"Oh yeah..." the young girl winced before turning her attention back towards the horizon "Well, do you remember anything before that? I mean, do you remember anything before we found you?"

Several moments passed before the confused castaway moved towards the security railing and stood alongside the young woman that had been fighting alongside him recently. This was the same unnamed individual that had doubtlessly rescued him from potential extinction within that crumbling temple and within those submerged ruins. This was the same unnamed nomad that had so graciously provided him with nourishment although nobody else within her faction believed it necessary. Although Tidus remained unable to address this younger woman by name, he already understood that she was honorable and trustworthy. There were several moments of expected silence as he collected his thoughts and began speaking volumes about his hometown, the northern metropolis of Zanarkand.

The unfortunate castaway began by telling his younger partner essentially everything that seemed important in that moments concerning the glorious nation of the northern metropolis. His detailed information ranged anywhere between the blitzball tournaments to everyday life within the machine metropolis. This continued further and the young man inevitably became completely absorbed within his storytelling. Tidus soon found himself describing the trials and challenges of his own existence and the unending struggle to separate himself from the achievements of his deceased father. His premature autobiography continued onward for nearly twenty minutes before he found himself arriving at his final hours within the northern metropolis. However, it was following the completion of his revelations that the breathless silence seemed to become noticeable on the forward deck.

"Rikku, did I say something strange?" Tidus asked as the began nomad paced the forward deck, contemplating everything that the curious captive had told her within the last several minutes. She quickly rejoined him by the security railing as the earliest possible answer materialized within her youthful mind.

"You were near Sin." she began solemnly before continuing in considerably more position tones "You shouldn't worry though, you'll be better in no time."

"What are you talking about?" Tidus questioned in obvious ignorance. Rikku had managed to completely lose him considering he had never given her any conscious reason to believe that he was injured or infirm. Tidus was also unable to believe that this young girl could have possibly known specific details concerning the wretched abomination that had assaulted his hometown just recently. Of course, while everything seemed to have happened within the last twenty-four hours, being knocked unconscious twice really placed his knowledge of the current date and exact time in question.

"Well, they say that your head can become frazzled whenever Sin is near." she shrugged lightly before glancing towards him "You'd be surprised by how much some people can go through because of Sin's Toxin, the same thing has probably happened to you. That would certainly explain your memories."

"I'm not following you." Tidus admitted, finding himself unnerved by the mention of the toxin.

"I'm saying that your memories might become blurred or you might have even mistaken your own dreams for your actual memories. This would make since considering that Zanarkand doesn't exist anymore." the young woman announced nonchalantly before falling away from the rails "Sin appeared and destroyed it a thousand years ago...so nobody plays blitzball there these days."

"What do you mean a thousand years ago?!" Tidus practically shouted before walking towards the unnamed nomad, the unexpected influx of this impossible revelation bringing about some unfamiliar aggression within him. She remained steady as he approached "I was standing there when Sin attacked Zanarkand! Are you really going to stand there and tell me that happened a thousand years ago? How can you say that?!"

"Because that is what happened." the young girl maintained before crossing her arms "You must understand that you have been poisoned with Sin's Toxin. You wouldn't even be capable of understanding the difference if you dreamed up anything. Besides, you couldn't have possibly been around to see those things happening."

"I did!" Tidus snapped before his voice softened "I was standing there..."

Another amount of that uncomfortable silence washed across the forward deck as the aggravated swordsman isolated himself against the security railing and glared across the shadowed horizon, the unwavering rainstorm remaining the least of his concerns. Regardless of Rikku's suspicions, Tidus remained unquestionably convinced of his existing memories. The determined survivor believed himself to understood challenge and sacrifice better than most people, having confronted various challenges throughout his difficult existence. Considering this, he found himself completely unable to accept the slightest possibility that an entire lifetime of precious memories and difficult experiences could have possibly been elements of his imagination.

Although there wasn't the slightest fragment of his consciousness that disagreed with his existing memories, there was an unnerving revolution upon processing everything he had experienced following his encounter with that wretched abomination. Those monstrous creatures that roamed the southern oceans seemed so incredibly similar to those creatures that assaulted the northern metropolis, something that somebody should have known about. The impossibly terrible condition of the freshly constructed power plants couldn't have occurred naturally within three years. Even these mysterious individuals that continued holding him as their cooperative prisoner seemed to stand in defiance of the cultures of current times.

The outlandish theory that he had somehow been catapulted one thousand years into the future began seeming both entirely possible and absolutely ludicrous in the same moment and the young blitzer found himself being torn between them. Tidus couldn't have been expected to understand exactly how everything happened, although the realization that the northern metropolis was lost from existence struck him rather painfully. Tidus virtually collapsed against the security railing before looking across the horizon, one hand moving to pinch the general area between his bloodshot cerulean eyes. Somebody above obviously desired revenge against him.

"You said that you play blitzball, right?" Rikku began hesitantly, removing Tidus from his thoughts.

"Y-Yeah." he answered halfheartedly.

"You know," Rikku quickly regained her optimistic personality "You should go to Luca. Someone might know who you are or you might find someone you recognized. You might even recover your memories on your own."

Tidus realized that there would be nothing gained by pushing the argument that he understood who he was and where he came from, that Rikku would continue trying to convince him otherwise. Finding himself confronted with another unfamiliar term he continued playing the ignorant parrot and repeated the unfamiliar name back to her, lacing it with his own hopeless confusion "Luca?"

Rikku groaned and shook her head in response before stepping away, obviously growing irritated with her apparent prisoner's endless ignorance to what should have been universal knowledge. Tidus turned away and continued looking over the darkened horizon, his hands flexing slightly as he pondered how his current situation was even possible.

Following several moments of aggravated pacing, the young girl had returned alongside him and seemed as lighthearted as earlier in tapping him on his armored shoulder "Leave everything to me, I'll get you to Luca. Promise!"

Tidus hesitated in answering, instinctively weighing his limited options.

"What?" Rikku suddenly asked "You'd rather stay here?"

"Uh." Tidus quickly responded "No."

"Alright, then it is settled." Rikku announced before allowing him to speak further, apparently becoming absorbed in the newfound authority she possessed over the confused castaway. She snapped one thumb over her shoulder towards the hatchway before speaking "I'll go inform the others and see if I cannot get you inside. Just give me a few minutes to convince them that you're harmless. Of course, they'll probably be wanting that sword back just in case."

"I should have figured as much." Tidus mumbled to himself before unbuckling the sheathed shortsword and returning it to the blonde nomad's outstretched hands. Rikku quickly inspected the blade before turning and walking towards the hatchway. "Rikku." she turned as the castaway addressed her "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." she chuckled before turning around once more appearing hesitant before speaking "There is one more thing. You should probably avoid telling anybody else that you're from Zanarkand. The Yevonites consider Zanarkand to be one of their most sacred territories."

"Whatever." Tidus huffed. Anybody that understood his hometown in the same manner he did would have probably considered the possibility of the northern metropolis being anything remotely similar absolutely ludicrous. The rising blitzer wouldn't have believed that his hometown could have so dramatically changed in one million years, let alone one thousand. His arrogance was quickly stomped out however.

"I'm serious, Tidus!" Rikku shouted without restraint, the young nomad's thoughtful jubilance suddenly being replaced with aggressive seriousness was more than enough to achieve the blitzer's undivided attention "I'm speaking from experience when I tell you that upsetting those people can be potentially dangerous. So if you're planning to go anywhere alone, remember to keep your business to yourself."

"Alright." he quickly responded "I'll keep my mouth shut."

"Alright, I'll be right back." Rikku breathed before turning the passing through the single hatchway, which automatically closed and left him alone once more on the forward deck. Tidus turned his attention back towards the shadowed horizon for several moments before suddenly pulling himself away from the security railing. His booted feet stomped upon the metallic paneling and his gloved hands lashed blindly through the falling rain as his impatience finally exploded outward. His outburst subsided as he resolved to slam himself back against those storage crates from earlier, his head absolutely screaming from the stress and strain of the situation. Everything seem much too impossible and otherworldly to have possibly been anything besides an extremely strange dream. However, Tidus realized beyond all conceivable doubts that he was conscious and his experiences were real and taking place in the waking world. Stranger things hadn't occurred during his lifetime, but things had come pretty close.

Before returning to the northern metropolis for the memorial tournament, the young blitzer would have believed that some antagonistic abomination commanding an army of monstrous creatures could have possibly assaulted the planet's most technologically advanced civilization. Before evacuating the crumbling stadium, he wouldn't have believed that his distanced mentor could have possibly possessed such ominous knowledge concerning their monstrous opponent. Before grasping his father's hooked longsword, he wouldn't have believed himself capable of defending himself against those various creatures that had challenged his survival. Before being dragged into the eerie light of that mysterious portal, he would have believed that his distanced mentor could have possibly betrayed his loyalty. Before participating in casual small talk with the young nomad, he wouldn't have believe it possible that the northern metropolis had been completely destroyed one thousand years earlier.

The determined castaway had found himself confronted by several challenging experiences throughout the majority of his existence, his eighteen years having constantly been found laced with constant confrontation and cutthroat competition. Every one of these recent experiences had seemed more impossible than the one before and he inevitably found himself forced to accept the reality of each situation. Tidus could have accepted that the wretched abomination had carried him into the southern oceans from which he could manage passage back to the northern metropolis. Tidus could have even accepted that these monstrous creatures that seemed to surround him remained behind in the passage of that demonic antagonist. However, the prospect of being catapulted one thousand years into the future remained within the realms of the absolutely impossible. The realization that he was actually entertaining this outlandish theory suddenly began to infuriate him.

"Impossible...Impossible!" Tidus grunted before slamming his elbow into the same crate he had been abusing earlier that evening, effectively pushing the dent even deeper into the metallic surface. Tidus was breathing heavily as his kick reverberated through the crate before the boat was suddenly rocked violently, sending him stumbling back. Without warning the salvage vessel was suddenly tipped upwards and he was suddenly sent rolling back to slam into the security railing before the ship corrected itself. Tidus pulled himself to lean against the railing as something echoed in the distance, well beyond the illumination of the salvage ship's constantly scanning searchlights. Tidus growled "Damn it! What now?!"

Several moments passed before the seawater suddenly erupted upwards an uncomfortable distance from the salvage vessel before immediately approaching. Tidus grasped the security railing as the hatchway opened and two of the nomad moved onto the forward deck, the violent shifting dropping both of them off balance. Both regained their balance before also crashing against the security railing and glaring across the ocean as the erupting water approached. Tidus could barely recognized the shadow of something kicking up the seawater while moving towards the ship, the waves being tossed around violently.

"SIN!" one of the nomads suddenly screamed "Sin ec lusa!"

"What?!" Tidus shouted at the startling revelation that the creature passing under them was the same wretched abomination that had assaulted the northern metropolis, somehow having surviving these one thousand years following the unjustified massacre. The pillar of errupting seawater suddenly came alongside the vessel and vanished under the shadow of the salvage ship, the illumination from the submerged power plant vanishing under the presence of the enormous monster. Tidus growled before slamming his fist down on the railing "That thing is still alive?!"

"Ihtan ic! Ihtan ic!" one of them shouted towards newcomers that were moving from the hatchway, leaning himself over the security railing in the attempt to locate where the enormous shadow stopped. Tidus also found himself scanning the surface of the darkened ocean , those dangerous waves beginning to calm themselves significantly. Tidus quickly moved to the farthest point of the forward deck and lashed his eyes across the water. Following his last encounter with the destructive monstrosity, nobody would have blamed him for questioning how the small vessel remained floating. There was some conversation between the nomads, apparently they were beginning to believe that they were simply witnessing the passage of the wretched abomination.

Although his captors had began the process of calming themselves, the young blitzer couldn't ignore that forbidding feeling that was materializing within the deepest regions of his throbbing heart. Several horrible memories were flashing through his mind and the presence of this murderous monstrocity brought an exceedingly painful strain beyond anything he had experienced before. Suddenly something flashed through his mind and his body ordered him to secure himself alongside the scavengers, when he realized that the forward section of the deck possessed no security railings. He thoughtless began moving back towards the starboard side when suddenly an oversized wave suddenly appeared and washed across the deck, eventually slamming against him.

Tidus screamed in the attempt to maintain his position, but soon found his booted feet swept out from under him and he was dragged across the forward deck and catapulted through the air before slamming down into that shadowed surf. Tidus immediately began kicking and thrashing back towards the surface when he noticed the small whirlpool that had materialized beneath him. The determined survivor pushed everything into his motions as he attempted to swim for the emergency ladder that one of those nomads had dropped for him. However, his limited strength inevitable failed against the furious might of the manipulated seawater and he began loosing momentum. In his last moments above the water he noticed Rikku looking over the deck before suddenly being pulled under with one final breath of fresh oxygen.

Tidus suddenly found himself being dragged into the depths of the ocean, litarally being pulled deeper into the darkened ocean by some unseen phenominon. The searchlights of the salvage ship soon shrank into the distance alongside the exterior lights of the submerged power plant, eventually vanishing behind miles of storm-churned seawater. Unhinged terror flashed through his consciousness as several more of those aquatic monsters could be seen nearby during his unwilling journey, although none of them pursued the seemingly defenseless morsal. The painful pressure increasing upon the young man's temples was becoming greater and unwelcome slumber threatened to dominate his weakened form. In his final moments of consciousness, he rolled himself around opened his cerulean eyes upon the destructive harbinger of the apocalypse.

These efforts remained fruitless as the shadowed silhouette of the mammoth abomination completely absorbed the young blitzer's sensitive vision, filling his cobalt pupils with nothing but that intimidating darkness. The agonizing pressure suddenly became something beyond the poor mortal's tolerance and he suddenly found himself grasped by an unwelcome slumber. As his consciousness faded however, the castaway's throbbing heart was suddenly confronted with another unnerving feeling outside of that unhinged dread that echoed from his memories. Something unmistakably familiar although regretfully unidentified. Something that remained beyond vague within the even deepest recesses of his strained mentality. Something that brought feelings of heartbreak and regretfulness.

Something that the tragic young man would survive to someday understand...

END OF CHAPTER FIVE

Author's Note: Although I find myself drawing considerable inspiration from my psychotic adoration of the original game, reviews from anybody actually reading the story usually makes the process move faster. My reviewers remind me that people are actually reading my invisionment of this wonderful story and that inspiration usually makes me write faster. I apologize profusely for these rantings, I am just somewhat annoyed at having only recieved one review for the last chapter. I'm working pretty hard during my spare time, so people simply dropping some comments would be greatly appreciated. Alright, my groveling aside, the next chapter will be placing our hero on the doorstep of his destined journey. Several things will remain the same, but others might be changed around significantly and depending on how things flow, an original character will probably be revealed before the chapter's closing.

Reviewer Question: To those reviewers wishing to assist me with some concerns, I am considering the lack of realism surrounding the Auroch's Captain actually using an ordinary blitzball as an offensive weapon. I have already figured several explanations as to how this common object could possibly be considered worthy in combat, but I have also figured how useless it would be in closed quarters combat. I am basically deliberating what the devout Wakka would find himself wielding when fiends and enemies become too close for comfort. My additional material within the storyline will have them facing down humanoid opponents much sooner within the story, and Wakka and Lulu's storyline will be expanded rather significantly. All suggestions are welcome.


	6. Chapter 6

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Six

Tidus Ashtear released an inaudible groan as he regained consciousness, once again finding himself somehow remaining amongst the living following his second encounter with that destructive abomination. Despite another close encounter with that murderous monster, he inexplicably found himself alive following another unwelcome slumber and another unexpected journey to another unfamiliar location. Somehow dragged through the deepest currents of the southern oceans before inevitably washing up somewhere, anybody would have probably offered credit to his extensive experience as an accomplished blitzball player. Tidus couldn't have known exactly how long his trained lungs had managed to process from that one sharp breath, but somehow they had lasted until the morning currents managed to beach the young man. 

Tidus groaned heavily as he slowly opened his cerulean eyes to find himself starring at the blazing sun above, his right hand instinctively flopping over his exhausted and bloodshot eyes. The awakened castaway soon noticed the increased temperature and quickly concluded that he must have been carried along the southern currents. Slowly rolling onto his side to avoid an ill-advised starring contest with that brilliant blazing orb, he absorbed the vision of the white sand leading back into the crystal clear seawater. Rolling over once more he found himself suddenly energized by the vision of the boat landing and the adjacent shack, an impressive tropical jungle creating the background beyond the beach. Within moments he had pulled himself to his feet and was slowly trudging towards the shack, praying that the small settlement was inhabited.

Although Tidus found nobody present upon further inspection of the property, there were several glass bottles of fresh water sitting outside and freshly washed clothes drying in the nearby clothesline. Tidus paid little attention to these archaic methods as he immediately seized one of the nearby water bottles and quickly drained the entire liter. He leaned against one of the sturdy walls as he replaced the bottle next to the other seven, breathing heavily and desperately hoping that somebody would return soon. Distracted by his sheer dehydration and raw exhaustion, he never noticed the individuals standing on the other side of the beach around two hundred yards away. However, the young man's attention was much too divided to even acknowledge their shouts of concern, there was some deliberation before communication was finally established.

Tidus lurched forward as something struck his upper back and rebounded several feet into the air, dropping down to bounce off his sand-streaked hair and land in his outstretched hands. The exhausted castaway suddenly found himself energized once again as his cerulean eyes immediately recognized the unmistakable sphere of white and blue he grasped between his hands. Intoxicating invigoration suddenly surged through his athletic frame and his mouth twisted into an overjoyed expression upon seeing something so familiar "Blitzball!"

"Hey! You okay?!" his attention turned towards those concerned individuals on the beach he hadn't noticed moments before, appearing as six young men flagged in yellow uniformed. Tidus immediately realized that these young men obviously composed another Blitzball Team and began casually examining the classical blitzball that had come his way. Within moments the obvious thrower stepped forward, somebody who obviously possessed an enormous amount of natural talent to accurately pinpoint an unknowing target over two hundred yards away. Tidus wished that they could have seen him smirking, but he found himself burning with the resolve to return their ball.

"Heads up!" Tidus shouted following a moment's hesitation and then booted the classical blitzball straight into the air, although restraining himself to avoid sending the expensive object into the nearby jungle. Tidus completely ignored exercising himself and immediately snapped one athletic leg back into stance before sending himself into an isolated backflip. The blitzball dropped down like clockwork just in time to be hammered by his booted foot, sending the white and blue sphere hurtling back towards it's original owner. Tidus gracefully followed through on his backflip before landing back on the sand and sharply twisting around to witness the final results.

"Scramble, boys!" the thrower shouted as the blitzball was returned to him with unprecedented velocity, skimming the surface of the seawater and breaking several of the smaller waves. For the slightest moment, the thrower found himself fearful of actually catching the speeding blitzball, but reinforced himself before jumping into just moments before the blitzball. There was an aggressive grunt as the blitzball slammed into his muscular chest and carried him backwards through the air an impressive distance before he landed on his feet. The thrower looked at the blitzball and then at the unidentified kicker before an expression of utter appreciation appeared across his face, his teammates starring at the crimson impression that had appeared on his chest. He chuckled "Whoa. Not bad."

Tidus Ashtear stepped rather casually down the tropical beach as he approached the six islanders, who suddenly surrounded him upon noticing his presence, their original concern having been replaced with expected amazement. Tidus found his earliest suspicions confirmed as their clothing proved to be identical uniforms. This unidentified team's primary color scheme seemed to be created by the wide yellow chaps that were suspended over some common blue slacks. Each member wore the standard suspender jacket around their shirtless abdomens, which was also colored yellow and possessed some further designed stitched in dark blue cloth. The suspenders themselves were solid black with yellow trimming and everybody wore fingerless gloves and dyed sashes around their arms, the different colors obviously representing their place in the sphere pool.

Tidus then noticed the final member returning from the nearby jungle where he had apparently been discussing something with two other individuals who began walking in the opposite direction. Perhaps the earliest characteristic besides the matching uniform was the standing orange-red hair that was maintained by an ocean blue bandanna, which was tightened just above his bright brown eyes. The noticeable presence of the scruffy beard and silver stud earrings didn't seem important, but they caught his attention none the less. Standing around two meters tall and possessing an obvious constitution to go alongside his muscular physique, there was little question that he was one of the southern team's hardest hitters.

Although his own uniform matched those of his teammates, there were several differences present that the experienced young blitzer quickly pinpointed within those moments of his approach. Anybody would have noticed how the leather armguard strapped around his left arm separated him from his teammates, the stitched designs on the highest point screaming his position. There were some additional details on his suspender jacket and the lightweight gauntlet on his left arm seemed composed of several different color sashes, each from positions he had taken earlier in his career. The shark charm around his neck and the thick strapped sandals probably didn't mean anything towards the team, but these significant differences practically screamed that this man was their captain.

Tidus crossed his arms lightly as the man brought out the blitzball again "What's up?"

The Blitzball Captain hesitated for a moment before his expression twisted into a challenging grin "I don't suppose you'd wanna try that move one more time?"

"No problem." Tidus struggled to keep from smiling too boldly as he took the outstretched ball and stepped back, feeling that things were finally looking up, having finally discovered some common ground. The blitzball spun on his outstretched finger before he tossed it up and headed the ball into the air, he then repeated the earlier process of putting himself onto a complicated backflip before hammering the blitzball with his right foot. The southern team watched as the blitzball sliced across the surface of the ocean and eventually vanished from view behind some of the distant waves. Everybody seemed beyond words, although the captain retained his composure more than enough to formulate audible speech, an appreciative tone coating his words.

"Ha-ha. You know most people that wash up on the waves can barely stand." the captain began before crossing his arms and cocking his head to one side "You're no amateur blitzer. Whose got your contract?"

"The Zanarkand Abes." Tidus proudly announced, having completely forgotten his otherworldly position despite everything that had happened within his most recent conscious hours. Rikku's forbidding words immediately returned to him as the islanders suddenly began muttering between one another, inexplicably spooked by the mention of the northern metropolis. Tidus mentally prepared himself for further confrontation, although he was thankful when he realized that he wouldn't have to fight off six fellow athletes. While everybody else seemed to be growing unstable, the captain remained unimpressed and focused an uncomfortable expression upon the younger blitzer.

"Excuse me?" he murmured in an unquestionably suspicious tone "What team did you say, again?"

"Uh...damn it." Tidus grunted through the feeling of his own foolishness and quickly concluded that his best option would be to consider his former partner's earlier advice "I mean...Nevermind. Forget that."

"Are you alright? I mean, you said Zanarkand?" one of the team members questioned "What's up with that?"

"Forget that. You should probably know that I was shipwrecked. Sin was involved and ever since I haven't been able remember anything or even think straight." Tidus breathed with gloomy tones and turning his cerulean eyes towards the ivory sand of the tropical beach, feeling that these excuses would be more than enough to convince them otherwise "I can remember everything about myself, but I cannot really remember anything that happened before winding up here. I cannot remember the names of my crewmates, where we were going or even where I come from." it was almost surprising that sounding depressed and frightened really wasn't too difficult to the displaced blitzer.

"Hmmm. You must have inhaled some of Sin's Toxin." the apparent captain theorized with a rather grave expression before brightening in the slightest "However, you remain standing among us. Praise be to Yevon."

"Ye—." Tidus immediately silenced himself from instinctively questioning the meaning of this unfamiliar word, cutting himself short before even half of the first syllable could escape his loose lips. It was a couple moments later that Tidus remembered Rikku mentioning this word, the primary reason he had silenced himself was the movements that every team member had suddenly put themselves through. First the right foot moved backwards into an incredibly familiar stance while their arms stretched out to their sides in dramatic fashion. Then the foot was brought forward and the palms and fingers curved as they were brought around the chest, creating the illusion of presenting some manner of sphere. Tidus remained silent as they broke this familiar maneuver, although he found himself even more confused in witnessing the Blitzball Victory Ritual.

"Okay! Everybody get back to practice!" he shouted and his teammates disbanded, he then outstretched one hand to the younger blitzer "The name's Wakka," Tidus weakly slapped hands with the older blitzer "Coach and Captain of the Besaid Aurochs, Brudda."

"Tidus." the younger man breathed before glancing around, attempting to create the illusion that he was beginning to recognized where he might have been "You said that you're the Besaid Aurochs. I guess that would that make this place Besaid, right?"

"That's right, Besaid Island." Wakka said before glancing towards his teammates and then back towards the younger blitzer, who was currently struggling not to balance himself on his knees, his sudden energy having abandoned him rather quickly "You look exhausted, Brudda. You should probably head to the village and rest before you collapse. Everybody seems to have started their individual routines and I have to get back to the village anyway, how about joining me."

"Thanks a lot." Tidus chuckled before pulling himself to his feet "Falling unconscious under the burning sun probably wouldn't be the best idea, would it."

"You don't need to remind me! The whole team dropped from exhaustion five years ago!" Wakka chuckled before lacing one muscular arm around Tidus' shoulders and leading him towards the beaten path that would lead them through the nearby jungles "The next morning we didn't think we would ever move again! We were peeling for weeks and it made practicing that much harder!"

"It even hurts to squint at the sun." Tidus mused lightly, remembering his own foolishness from the rookie years and honestly wishing that he could continue trading stories without his more serious concerns.

"You cannot stand that stuff when it happens, but when you look back. Good times!" Wakka laughed heartily before releasing the younger blitzer and walking ahead to the beginning of the beaten pathway that would obviously lead them to the nearby village.

Tidus trailed silently behind the Auroch's Captain with significant hesitation weighing down the possibility of asking further questions, having already witnessed the suspicion that seemed to surround mention of the northern metropolis. Tidus understood that remaining silent would have probably been the best course of action, but something within the displaced blitzer pressured him to reinforce his former partner's explanations. He found himself pressured to trust the Blitzball Captain with any further questions. Perhaps it was the common ground they shared with one another or the older blitzer's understanding reaction to everything thus far. However, the younger blitzer inevitably surrendered to his hesitation and decided against directly questioning the ultimate destiny of the northern metropolis. Rikku's words might have been without proof, but there was no questioning the seriousness she possessed when she warned him about mentioning his hometown.

Upon leaving the Besaid Aurochs to their individual routines, Tidus and Wakka began following the beaten pathway into the various thickets that created the small island's tropical jungle. Eventually the two blitzers found themselves confronted with an expected decision, two extremely different pathways that would lead to the same destination. Wakka thoughtlessly walked down the right path which would lead to the island lagoon, following an entire morning of practicing on the ivory beach, it was his custom to cleanse himself in this manner. However, upon arriving at the ledge overlooking the sparkling lagoon, he noticed that his younger peer had fallen behind and instinctively backtracked to the divide in the beaten pathway.

The Blitzball Captain was somewhat confused when he discovered that the impressive freelancer had stopped following him long enough to ascend the mountain pathway which would carry them under the various waterfalls that plummeted into the ocean. The younger blitzer was examining one of the several machina ruins that infiltrated many natural formations across the small island. These rusted ruins were mostly considered an annoyance, but remained as an everlasting reminder concerning the foolishness of their ancestors, not that Besaid Village possessed the finances or understanding to possibly have them removed. Wakka breathed before casually walking up and dropping one heavy hand on the younger blitzer's shoulder "You're falling behind on me, brudda. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I noticed these ancient ruins." Tidus began with genuine fascination upon seeing how several functionless mechanics had become interwoven with the landscape following several centuries of erosion, serving as further evidence that his former partner had been sincere. Tidus glanced back towards Wakka before allowing his gloved hand to scrape down over the heavily rusted surface of the unfamiliar machine "Sorry, I wasn't aware that there were these ruins on Besaid Island."

Wakka crossed his arms before leaning back against the decaying machine "Anybody traveling across Spira would eventually notice that these ancient ruins, twisted remains of the machina cities that once covered the landscape. You would probably remember it from your schooling in the temples, how the priests would share stories about magnificent civilizations covering everything." Wakka chuckled "You remember that?"

"...Yeah." Tidus answered with deception "I figured they were exaggerating."

"Afraid not, brudda." Wakka mused "I've done some traveling in my time, believe me that those priests know exactly what they are talking about. Anybody that bothers to pay attention while they're walking down those beaten roads can usually see those crumbling remains of the machina cities. Most of the villagers here look upon them as reminders to continue atoning for our sins, offering us that inspiration when temptation becomes too much. Of course, people should remain vigilant anyways considering what happened last time everybody allowed everything to go beyond their control."

Tidus was readily absorbing this information and discovering further evidence to support the possibility that his experiences in the northern metropolis had taken place over ten centuries earlier. Tidus wasn't surprised by the presence of these ruins, considering that through his lifetime several advanced civilizations had been constructed across the planet. Around ten years earlier, from his personal perspective, the civilizations of the southern islands were becoming advanced alongside the coastlines and forested of the continental mainland. Tidus found himself somewhat thrown by the last piece of Wakka's explanation "What happened?"

"The high priest says that these machina civilizations continued expanding and eventually everybody grew fearful towards one another, beginning pointless battles over matters of arrogance and never accepted responsibility for their own atrocities." Wakka's explanations continued sending blasts of flame and frost through the younger blitzer's spine, remembering the conflicts between the unstable nations throughout the continent. Wakka's expression became extremely grave and his speech became much more formal "Yevon believes that it was our own foolishness that attracted Sin to emerge from that darkness, appearing without warning to begin mercilessly destroying the machina civilizations..."

"...And Zanarkand alongside them, around a thousand years ago..." Tidus concluded rather rudely, to which Wakka nodded in confirmation. Tidus shrugged his shoulder before exhaling heavily and stepping away from the rusted ruins, turning himself back towards the beaten pathway. Tidus found himself grateful that his soaked clothing masked the depressed body language and was consciously making the effort to conceal the crushed expression that pulled at the corners of his visage. Wakka and Rikku had been above his suspicions, the considerable evidence speaking volumes more than anybody could have possibly explained.

Wakka suddenly shattered the grave silence with a hearty laugh, wrapping one arm around the younger blitzers shoulders before leading up towards the higher pathway "I've seen how the toxin can mess with you, but you playing for the Zanarkand Abes was really too much! You go through the trouble of looking over the ancient records, those players were some of the greatest legends in Zanarkand Blitzball!"

"I suppose I must have gotten them confused with another team." Tidus scoffed and lightly slapped his forehead, although he found himself battling the temptation to chuckle triumphantly.

"You were probably either a professional player or an independent freelancer, not that your talents don't already speak for themselves." Wakka laughed as they continued walking towards the rushing waterfalls "I'm sure you'll remember before long, in the meantime it would probably be better if you just took things slowly. Come on."

"Right behind you." Tidus responded before following behind the Auroch's Captain, having reached the conclusion that the senior blitzer was both understanding and trustworthy. However, Tidus found his thoughts returning to how almost everything seemed connected to that wretched abomination that had transported him one thousand years into the distant future. Tidus had considered the halfhearted theory that another encounter with that merciless destroyer might somehow work in reverse, but these newfound revelations were beginning to unveil the vanity of his determination to return home. Considering that that murderous monster would continue destroying human civilization regardless of his presence, returning was seeming much less desirable.

Tidus stepped forward on the beaten path and clutched one gloved hand around the precious platinum pendant that rested against his chest on the matching chain. Brushing his gloved fingers across the surface of his family heirloom, he remembered various enlightening lectures from both his wonderful mother and distanced mentor. Several of these lectures resolved around remembering passed experiences and moving forward, never foolishly worrying about factors that could never be controlled. These lectures and lessons firmly grasped within his consciousness, Tidus resolved in that very moment to continue journeying forward into his own existence. Although looking over the shoulder to remember memories and mistakes might have been perfectly acceptable, there was nothing to the gained by walking backwards when the future continued moving forwards.

* * *

Besaid Island was certainly impressive in the territory of natural beauty, their casual journey down the beaten pathways carrying them across several seaside formations which passed under several waterfalls. The beaten path and various bridges leading them through the billowing clouds of refreshing mist before continuing towards the central regions of the small island. Several more of those decaying machina structures flanked the beaten pathway beyond the waterfalls, rusted through and dominated with the overgrown of the local vegetation. These crumbling reminders of those ancient times created almost deliberate brilliance alongside the natural beauty of the adjacent woodlands. Such unnatural scenery almost stood as reinforcement to those various extremists that once claimed that nature would someday reclaim the planet from the dominant beings. Doubtlessly, there was some trust in their insane rants. 

The Auroch's Captain suddenly stopped upon emerging upon further mountainous terrain, casually stepping towards one of the dangerously steep inclines which descended into the forested woodlands below. The presence of established civilization seemed apparent as several roped fences were standing against the possibility of somebody stepping beyond the small outcropping. Tidus approached and observed the scenery as his traveling partner casually pointed into the distance, towards the primitive civilization that was constructed within the forested valley around the perimeter of the small island. There was one dominant structure that was surrounded by several smaller homes, there was no questioning that this larger building was the previously mentioned temple.

Tidus crossed his arms before glancing towards Wakka "I'm guessing that would be the village."

"Yeah. Besaid Village." Wakka announced with hometown pride "This is where I was born and raised. Blitzball basically grabbed my attention when I turned five, I joined the Auroch's seven years later when I was thirteen. I've been playing with them for around ten years..." Wakka's words became silent.

"Hmmm?" Tidus noticed the suddenly disintegration of the older blitzer's pride, never placing much attention towards confirming that Wakka was five years his senior.

"Sometimes you could almost consider the team jinxed, that in ten years and we've never won a single game." the senior blitzer shook his head in dismay before turning back towards the castaway "Eventually things became pretty serious following the tournament around two years ago. Somebody was offering me an opportunity that I couldn't possibly turn down. I relinquished my position to our finest player and found myself traveling to the north seven days later, everybody seemed to understand at the time." Wakka explained before turning to continue down the beaten path.

"How about telling me about this opportunity." Tidus questioned as they continued walking, finding himself wondering exactly how the older blitzer returned after being so determined to separate himself from his hometown's unfortunate Blitzball Team.

"There was some extensive traveling involved and several exciting experiences, but suddenly something happened amongst the Besaid Aurochs." Wakka hesitated slightly to gather his thoughts "The current captain dropped his positioned to follow his own opportunities and responsibilities, leaving our players without anybody to coach or captain."

"That's a pretty tough decision." Tidus murmured sympathetically "So, you resolved to resign yourself from your new job to keep your team from falling apart."

Wakka shrugged his shoulders lightly "Pretty close, but not exactly. My employer essentially decided to abandon his journey earlier than expected and there was more than enough time for everybody to return home before the next tournament started. The opening match of the last tournament was my chance to prove myself, but something was clouding my judgment," Wakka possessed some emotion between his regretful words that the younger blitzer couldn't determine in that moment "I couldn't concentrate."

"Hmm." Tidus murmured without response, understanding that the senior blitzers reasons were not his own to consider as petty excuses. There was some personal inward aggression in the realization that his father would have probably openly considered these personal problems to be some pathetic excuse.

"The next tournament will be beginning in three days. I've already resolved that this is going to be my last tournament." Wakka concluded before slowly stopping in his tracks "Of course, things aren't looking much better than they usually have. That leaving captain was our finest swimmer and scorer. We've also been forced to reassign positions to benched players after our best catcher and best tackler signed themselves to another team following the last tournament. Datto and Jassu are good people, but lack actual experience."

Tidus found himself overwhelmed with sympathy and compassion for the senior blitzer. The Besaid Aurochs already possessed an incredibly terrible reputation and the situation probably seemed familiar to every tournament before. The Auroch's Captain possessing obvious personal problems connected to the sport was obviously uncomfortable, but having lost two experienced players was another painful disadvantage. This entire situation seemed to be absolutely hopeless when one considered the already blemished records possessed by the small island team. This next tournament was going to be Wakka's final moments within the sphere pool and the crushing defeat of his beloved teammates was somewhere beyond guaranteed.

"Sorry Tidus." Wakka shook his head "You're probably getting sick of me droning on about my personal problems considering your own. The village shouldn't be much more than another mile away, we should probably get moving before the fiends decide to start patrolling the roads."

"Alright," Tidus responded "But I have one more question."

"Sure." Wakka shrugged "Shoot."

"Do you think that my contract would be useful to your team?" Tidus questioned without the slightest amount of forethought or hesitation concerning the probably difficulties of offering his talents and abilities to the unfortunate Besaid Aurochs. He maintained his composed expression in crossing his arms over his chest, pushing forward the obviousness that the young blitzer was dead serious in his uncharacteristically spontaneous decision. Considering that his contract with the Zanarkand Abes had officially expired around one thousand years earlier, his existence as an unrivaled blitzball champion had long since been forgotten. Tidus Ashtear was just another freelance blitzer.

The Auroch's Captain found himself utterly shocked and found himself attempting to formulate any acceptable response that wouldn't emerge as inaudible grunting and gushing. His expression became stable following several moments of hesitation and he addressed the younger blitzer with the his two concerns "I'm not sure we could afford your talents, brudda. Besides, should you be found playing for an opposing team while you might belong to another could place your contract in serious jeopardy."

"You're obviously going to be leaving the island to attend this tournament, are you telling me that you cannot afford the expenses necessary to get me where you're going?" Tidus mentally cackled as Wakka's expression shifted considerably. Tidus then shrugged before bringing his hands behind his head and leaning back "I cannot ever remember belonging to another team and feel surprisingly comfortable offering my contract, do you really think somebody is going to sanction me for being infected by the toxin?"

Wakka thought for several moments before his expression became jubilant "Welcome to the Besaid Aurochs!" he announced before slapping hands with the younger blitzer. Considering those opposing players that usually represented the finest in blitzball, Wakka was almost unable to believe that somebody bursting with such uncommon talent could have possibly possessed such professionalism. Tidus smiled back with triumphant jubilance and grasped the senior blitzer's hand tightly in an almost epic moment of companionship. Unfortunately, this moment was interrupted by the younger blitzer's groaning stomach.

"I guess we'll have to save introductions and agreements until later." Wakka laughed again before turning back towards the beaten path "I'd better hurry to the village before you go dying on me."

"Right behind you." Tidus agree before following him.

* * *

Further conversation dissolved between the blitzers as the traveled pathways carried them through the gates and into the square of the small village, which the younger blitzer would describe as an incredibly compact civilization that remained nestled in the natural beauty of the nearby seaside and the tropical woodlands. Perhaps the single permanent structure of the nearby temple which was brilliantly constructed from unidentified white stone which seemed to resist decomposition under hazardous weather. The various homes and shops that surrounded the temple were constructed from cloth and lumber, making them both effortlessly transportable and incredibly inexpensive. These simple settlements of the small village seemed incredibly vulnerable to intruders, although the freelance blitzer was suspect that with the world in such depressing straits, the villagers were probably less likely to dishonor one another. Tidus could almost see himself somehow surviving such an immaterial existence. 

"Welcome to Besaid Village." Wakka announced before pointing towards one rather elaborate building that was constructed from primarily sapphire cloths and wooden details, several of the villagers seeming dressed for the warmth of the tropical climate "That building over there would be the Crusader's Lounge. Miranna will probably be serving some lunch before long and you can speak with Morgan about getting somewhere to sleep tonight. You should probably report anything you remember to Luzzu and Gatta. The Crusaders are definitely going to want to know where Sin might be."

"That all sounds well and good, but you should probably know that I'm completely broke." Tidus murmured, suddenly regretting his earlier decision to use what little paper money he possessed as tender for that campfire tender back in those crumbling ruins. Although he quickly discerned that these Crusaders were some manner of military or militia, his concern seemed more focused upon his grumbling stomach than his

"The Crusaders Lounge usually has more than enough for the actual members and usually shares whatever remains with the other villagers. Otherwise they'd probably understand your situation. You'd be surprised how many shipwrecked sailors the currents annually carry to our shoreline." Wakka explained.

"Alright then." Tidus breathed.

"I'm sure you'll be fine, but should anybody give you any trouble, send them to speak with me and I'll explain everything to them." Wakka promised with sincerity before he noticed two conversing people near the temple complete their conversation and perform an immensely familiar gesture. Wakka doubted that anybody could have possibly forgotten, but the Auroch's Captain was unwilling to go on pure confidence. Quickly making his decision he suddenly moved behind one of the nearby houses "Over here."

"Something wrong?" Tidus questioned.

"No, I just remembered something very important." Wakka insisted before glancing around and ensuring that nobody was present to overhear their conversation "You do remember the prayer, right?"

Although the northern metropolis was renowned for possessing absolute tolerance for the practice of the hundreds of different religions that existed there, although he had never possessed any curiosity concerning the original origins or inevitable extinction of humanity. Tidus had never stooped to formulating ignorant judgments over these spiritual practices that he didn't understand, the blitzer simply found no interest to participate in these otherworldly lifestyles. However, having already come to understand the enormous concentration of devout religion and spiritual practice existing within this alien world the better answer seemed obvious to him. Returning to the excuse of his toxin induced amnesia, his response was whispered in faux despair "I cannot remember."

"You must have gotten infected with some pretty powerful stuff." Wakka murmured with an extremely grave expression, appearing somewhat disappointed before looking up with that familiar instructional expression "You should probably speak to the temple summoner before long, not remembering the basics could probably upset some of the villagers. Anyway, I'll show you the prayer. Watch closely."

Tidus couldn't have possibly anticipated what this prayer could have been, but he would have never expected it to be something that he had done hundreds of times throughout his existence. Wakka's solumn expression in performing the blitzball victory ritual obliterated the possibility that he was anything less than serious. Tidus couldn't have imagined how something as recognized as snapping fingers or clapping hands could have possibly become some manner of religious ritual. Tidus fought himself to remain interested, monitoring the general execution of the maneuver and coming to the conclusion that absolutely nothing had changed concerning the practice.

Tidus breathed sharply as Wakka glanced up at him "Do you remember?"

"Yeah." Tidus answered before carefully performing the victory ritual, perfectly conforming with the original motions which had come into existence almost three generations before anybody could have thought about him. The younger blitzer removed himself from the ending stance to run one hand through his hair, feeling the grains of remaining sand shifting against his scalp "I cannot believe I forgot that one."

"You remembered the prayer though, almost flawlessly." Wakka concluded before motion to another hut that existed on the perimeter of the village square "I'm going to handle some personal business, but you can meet me there later this afternoon. In the meantime, grab yourself some lunch and present yourself to the temple summoner." the Auroch's Captain then stepped away from the younger blitzer and vanished around the corner, moving through the various cloth dwellings that surrounded the temple. Tidus considered following until his stomach grumbled again and he immediately began marching towards the Crusader's Lounge, the intoxicating smell of boiling broth unmistakable to the starving blitzer.

* * *

Tidus realized that anybody walking into the Crusader's Lounge would have probably questioned the presence of the young man who was silently enjoying the forgotten sensations of the delicious stew that was being served outside. The starving castaway found himself breathed deeply of the luxurious steam before bothering to serve himself another spoonful of the meat and potato soup. There were some other villagers that were entering with their own servings and beginning with their own lunch, many of them appearing to be fishermen and foresters from where he was sitting. Although his presence was unfamiliar and his clothing appeared unusual, nobody approached him concerning his fictitious origins and he was very grateful for that. 

The sound of the curtain doorway being drawn open gathered the young blitzer's attention for the slightest moment before two unfamiliar individuals entered the makeshift building. Tidus found himself drawn further upon noticing that neither of the newcomers dressed similar to the other residents, characterized by their lightweight leather armor being rather noticeable amongst common cloth worn by the villagers. Although Tidus found himself somewhat displaced, there was no questioning that these people were obviously from some manner of militaristic faction, which would explain being called Crusaders. Tidus was prepared to return his attention towards finishing his soup when the young of these two men pointed in his general direction and they approached. Tidus would have expected trouble, but suspected that these men posed him.

"Excuse me." Tidus glanced upwards as he was addressed by the obvious superior between the two, primarily characterized by short crimson hair and an impressive physique. Tidus imagined that there was some obvious battlefield experience lurking behind the stained leather armor and defiantly imposing stature. Tidus noticed the deadly-looking battleaxe that was strapped across his back, but found himself rather unimpressed considering his recent exposure to bladed weaponry. Having gained the blitzer's attention, he moved to confirm the identity of the abnormally dressed young man "You are the one that was shipwrecked and washed ashore, correct?"

"Uh, yeah." Tidus nodded "You've been talking to Wakka?".

"Yeah!" the young soldier suddenly confirmed without restraint, the superior's expression twisting slightly in annoyance as his subordinate overstepped his boundaries. Tidus found himself surprised, quickly concluding that the younger of these two soldiers couldn't have been much older than himself. His darker complexion carried volumes of exposure to the burning sun and the noticeable scar on his cheek screaming unspoken stories. His black hair was tied back over his scalp and he carried a significantly less impressive shortsword on the left hip. Tidus was rather surprised how the younger soldier pushed the subject "Wakka told us you might have information regarding Sin!"

"Gatta! Calm yourself!" the superior barked.

Tidus hesitated before pushing his empty bowl forward to the center of the table, where one of the passing members snatched it up and placed it with the other inexpensive wooden dishes. He then turned himself towards the two soldiers as they both welcomed themselves to the small table he had occupied. Tidus casually glanced towards them "Wakka told me to speak with somebody earlier, but what makes you think I know anything?"

"Wakka suspects that you were attacked by Sin rather recently." the superior explained rather unofficially, which made the situation much less stressful for the unfortunate castaway, although there was still the pressure of being interviewed by authority figures "However, if Sin was anywhere nearby he would have doubtlessly attacked the island, but the fishermen report have seen nothing abnormal within the last several days. Such merciful behavior seems unbefitting of our tormentor."

"I'm guessing that Wakka has already explained my condition." the freelance blitzer inquired, gracefully falling back on the toxin excuse that had been provided so much earlier. An insincere expression of personal disappointment and crippling grief dominated his features before he rested his forehead in one palm "I've already figured out that you two are obviously not regular villagers, but I'm confused as to exactly why you are asking me these things."

"Understandable, considering your condition." the superior murmured before introducing himself "My name is Luzzu. I am currently the weapons specialist and commanding officer of the militia based on Besaid Island. Should you have information that might concern the Crusaders, you speak with me."

"Well I'm afraid there is nothing to explain." Tidus leaned forward on the table, his gloved fingers intertwining with one another before supporting his heavy chin "Everything is so damn cloudy. I'm cannot remember where my ship was going or where we were coming from... I'm not even sure I can remember what the Crusaders are?"

"Can the toxin really be this bad, sir?" Gatta questioned Luzzu in disbelief.

"His condition does seem rather bad." Luzzu murmured.

"No offense." Tidus breathed.

"There is nobody to blame, having such knowledge stolen must leave the world seeming very confusing and perhaps even frightening." Luzzu explained with sympathy before immediately addressing his prepared subordinate "Gatta, quote the Creed of the Crusaders!"

"Yes, sir!" Gatta removed himself to his feet and stood erect before slammed one fist into his chest, easily recognized as some manner of obvious salute. The younger soldier took a moment to collect his thoughts before beginning speaking surprisingly loud, although everybody present seemed to look upon him with respect.

We are the Crusaders of Yevon!

We are the sworn protectors of the people!  
We are the sworn defenders of the settlements!  
We are the sworn enforcers of the common law!  
We are the sworn opponents of our tormentor!

We will accept challenge in the name of our struggle!  
We will accept discomfort in the name of our struggle!  
We will accept bloodshed in the name of our struggle!  
We will accept death in the name of our struggle!

We acknowledge the ancient hero, Mi'ihen!  
We acknowledge the Crimson Blades!  
We acknowledge the Temples of Yevon!  
We acknowledge the Scriptures of Yevon!

We are the Crusaders of Yevon!

Tidus immediately understood that this dramatic speech was obviously some manner of military creed, considering how perfectly this explanation would have summarized the purpose and history of their military faction. Of course, the young blitzer's unfortunate ignorance created some serious barriers between the understanding of several terms included within the soldier's speech. He had understood that memorized speeches such as this one were historically designed to reinforce the morale of soldiers and remind them of their purpose and history. Many nations created anthems that were deliberately designed to do the same amongst the citizens, usually including several equally ambiguous terms which would have obviously understood much better than some random foreigner or hapless castaway.

However, Tidus finally found himself understanding the situation considering that these people were approaching him concerning that antagonistic abomination that he had somehow managed to encounter twice within an incredibly short amount of time. Tidus focused upon Luzzu before speaking "The Crusaders struggle revolves around battling that monster, Sin? How could anybody possibly hope to defeat something like that?"

Tidus immediately discovered himself questioning his understanding as both Luzzu and Gatta were looking towards him with slightly confused expressions. They glanced towards one another before Luzzu looked back towards him "Well, we have been capable of steering the demon away from towns several times, which is all that can possibly be done." Luzzu explained rather professionally "Throughout our entire history of over eight hundred years, it has never been the responsibility of the Crusaders to attempt defeating Sin. It is our mission as the Crusaders of Yevon to protect the temples, towns, villages and people of Spira."

"I'm almost afraid to ask," Tidus signed with hopelessness, beginning to despise his growing curiosity in the matter, but discovering anything useful concerning that wretched monster remained an irresistible temptation and the pursuit of this knowledge couldn't be ignored. Without further hesitation the young blitzer requested an answer to another question, perhaps his most breathtaking question since his arrival in Spira "Whose responsibility is it to defeat Sin?"

Tidus found his suspicions confirmed as both the soldiers and anybody nearby seemed to inhale rather sharply, gasping and looking towards the confused young man. Tidus quickly noticed this and responded by pathetically placing his forehead against the hardwood of the table, his gloved hands grasping the tenderized base of his aching cranium. Continuously deceiving everybody that encountered him was beginning to aggravate him, the distasteful reality of being so pathetically confused boarding on the limits of his tolerance. The confused castaway breathed deeply as the younger soldier dropped into his seat, apparently unable to believe that anybody could have possibly forgotten something so important. Such information was doubtlessly known amongst their youngest children, the knowledge of somebody that could actually challenge that behemoth wouldn't have been classified information.

"I am so sorry." Tidus groaned "I cannot remember anything."

Tidus recovered himself to see Luzzu frowning with endless sympathy and compassion for the younger man, having apparently never seen anybody so genuinely clueless as the hapless castaway. Gatta found himself unable to comprehend an intelligent response and remained silent for his superior, understanding that the older man would probably possess better advise. Luzzu leaned forward on the table "It would seem that Sin's Toxin has seriously impaired your memory concerning the world around you, attacking even the most elementary knowledge. Tell me, do you remain capable of writing and reading?"

"Yeah." Tidus whispered "I still remember those things."

"There are several books in the temple library that the priests would probably allow you to borrow until you have managed to recover your memories, there are several that should contain general information concerning the everyday existence in Spira." Luzzu breathed heavily "We could easily entertain your questions as they come, but the influence of the toxin might simply grow stronger unless you rediscover the answers for yourself. Visit the temple and speak with the temple summoner, pray with some of the other villagers, perhaps read the books in the library. Perhaps Yevon will assist you in recovering your memory."

"You're probably right." Tidus murmured as he pulled himself to his feet and collected his backpack from the adjacent chair, tightening the straps around his shoulders "I really appreciate your patience with my condition."

"The Crusaders are the sworn opponents of our tormentor, Sin." Gatta announced rather unexpectedly before nodding towards the blonde blitzer "It would be dishonorable to ignore your suffering because of that monster."

"I understand." the confused castaway murmured before leaving the elaborate cloth building, the two crusaders turning back towards one another and began discussing that turned their expressions from genuinely concerned to completely serious. Something that the young blitzer would understand until much later.

* * *

"Everything returns to that monster, Sin." Tidus grumbled to himself as he slowly walked towards the magnificent architecture which represented what was doubtlessly the dominant religion within this unfortunate world. Tidus discovered his earlier resolve to continue moving forward already being challenged by the unending presence of that wretched abomination. These religious zealots apparently believed the monster to be their punishment for something that happened one thousand years earlier. The Crusaders were willing to sacrifice themselves to keep that murderous monster from destroying the settlements and population that existed throughout this world. Although it seemed impossible, there was apparently somebody capable of challenging the limitless power of such an unstoppable juggernaut. However, Tidus found his concern revolving around his crumbling resolve. 

The young blitzer wanted to continue moving forward without concerning himself about those ancient times that he found himself forced to abandon, those ancient times that seemed impossible to reclaim. The young blitzer had honestly believed himself capable of completely abandoning his former life, but the constant mention of that living nightmare brought about memories from before that monster assaulted his hometown. Tidus discovered himself fantasizing about those earlier times when his single greatest concern was separating his reputation from his deceased father's, to inevitably prove that he was superior. Tidus breathed in tightening his grasp around this difficult resolve and proceeded towards the magnificent structure, remaining hopeful that coming to understand this bizarre world might diminish his memories of Zanarkand.

"Not bloody likely." Tidus murmured towards his own thoughts before stepping up the short flight of stone steps and walking the short distance into the ancient temple's shadowed interiors.

END OF CHAPTER SIX

Author's Note: To those that might have noticed the changes from the original script, I've never particularly enjoyed the main character spontaneously asking questions or making comment without thinking. Tidus remains clueless concerning the world around him and understands how making foolish assumptions might have severe consequences. I'm probably going to revise some of Wakka's additional lines to make them sound more characteristic later. The Creed of Yevon was essentially something that came to me in knowing that the Crusaders are essentially involved with the clergy, seems somewhat more realistic that the rehearsed history lesson from the original script. The encounter with the Crusaders was actually something that wasn't planning on actually writing, having never given much thought towards the original scene from the game. The next chapter should probably come around in another week, writing has become easier after getting beyond the tutorial sections of the original game. Of course, reviews will always make me type faster.

Reviewer Question: I have essentially decided to somehow keep Wakka's blitzball as his primary weapon although there will be several things done in the game that cannot possibly be tolorated in my realistic novelization, like hitting an object several hundred meters away and actually doing damage. However, you can probably expect the Auroch's Captain to primarilly be utilizing his muscular physique as his primary weapon against anybody or anything managing to get close enough. Right now, my primary concerns turn towards Lulu and the presence of those dolls that she carried around throughout the original game. I'm assuming that these things are essentially a catalyst for amplifying her magical powers, but the sheer pointlessness of utilizing a stuffed animal seems rather crude and unrealistic. Lulu will probably be possessing staves throughout this novelization instead.


	7. Chapter 7

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Seven

Tidus Ashtear found himself becoming nervous as he approached the entrance of the magnificent temple, apparently the small village's only permanent structure. Tidus remembered proper manners, understanding that the imposing building represented the dominant religion to which everybody seemed to be involved. Feelings of displacement were settling upon the young blitzer as he stepped forward. Tidus had never possessed the slightest interest in spiritual worship, placed litte faith in divine rituals and remained clueless to the etiquette which would had been expected of him. The castaway accepted his obvious discomfort, he actually considered himself fortunate for having maintained himself for the time he had been trapped within this unfamiliar world. Taking a couple moment to reflect upon his personal troubles and recent tribulation, it became apparent that his situation couldn't have been made much worse by stepping into the small island's temple.

Having always possessed an unwavering ignorance alongside his complete disinterest, the wandering castaway couldn't have possibly been prepared for what awaited him beyond the threshold of the magnificent architecture. Anybody could have discerned that the main chamber would have been plunged into darkness without the presence of the several elaborate torches that flanked an ominous stairway near the back of the main chamber. Tidus found himself rather surprised by the sight, not to mention to knowledge that the circular chamber could have probably contained everybody that inhabited the village in the event of an unforeseen emergency. Tidus found his examination interrupted as dejavu washed across his consciousness, suddenly recognizing several familiar sights before his cerulean eyes snapped upwards, unexpected revelation ripping through his consciousness. The confused castaway noticed that the elaborate construction and ancient markings were most identical to those crumbling ruins where he had washed ashore and been rescued from several hours later.

The young blitzer decided against mentioning those crumbling ruins, absolutely confident that such an unwanted responsibility would doubtlessly befall another, probably somebody that was actually associated with their mysterious religion. Deciding to avoid involving himself further, Tidus continued his exploration of the mysterious temple, stepping forward into the center of the elaborate chamber and absorbing his surroundings with considerable interest. There were several villagers present in the temple, probably farmers and fishermen by the appearance of their clothing. Having gathered themselves around the interior walls, each of them were kneeling devoutly before the various statues positioned on elevated platforms, probably designed to represent either lesser saints and prophets. Incredible stoneworks of chanting goddesses could be seen decorating the tall ceiling while thousands upon thousands of illegible runes were carved into the granite floor. There were three doorways around the distant side of the main chamber, one imposing stone doorway taking precedence upon the isolated stairway while the others were positioned on either side of the platform.

Slowly proceeding toward those burning torches, the displaced survivor suddenly noticed the four imposing statues that were positioned around the isolated stairway and the burning torches, proceeding over the chamber with an almost intimidating presence. These larger statues possessed that same individual uniqueness as the smaller ones that lined the nearby platforms, but their imposing height and greater detail seemed to authenticate an established authority over their smaller brethren. The elderly priest in the multicolored robes standing alongside these statues seemed to confirm their importance within the temple. Although having never possessed any honored opinion in the artistic community, the young blitzer was positive that the entire building would have surely been considered one powerful masterpiece by even the most narrow-minded critics of the northern metropolis.

Tidus stepped forward without further hesitation, approaching the imposing monoliths with an insincere confidence, becoming anonymous to his own strained nerves. Devout worshipers would have possessed differing opinions when confronted with his supreme ignorance. Some would have considered him an absolute disgrace and would have been appalled by his very presence. Others would have probably considered him pitiful and worthy of compassion. Tidus wasn't in the mood to accept either prejudice judgment or obligated sympathy. He was confident however, that nobody would start asking annoying questions.

Tidus continued walking until he found himself standing under the lifeless gaze of one of the dominant statues and casually glanced upwards, the statue depicting an ominous middle-aged man dressed in several elaborate robes. Standing before this excellent sculpture, something seemed to connect with the displaced castaway, an ominous assurance which seemed absent from the other colossal statues. Despite possessing such complete ignorance, something unknown identified this sagely individual as being peaceful, comforting, understanding, strong-willed and kindhearted. Although normally critical concerning glorious reputations, Tidus found himself without question that the individual depicted by this proud sculpture had earned his place within the lore of this mysterious religion.

"Impressive, wouldn't you agree." Tidus twisted slightly toward the apparent priest that had been standing directly behind him, strolling up rather casually and looking upon the sculpture's brilliance "Ten years have passed since Lord Braska was honored as High Summoner, and now we have received a statue for our temple."

Tidus offered no initial response to the older man's attempt toward conversation, quickly realizing that the priest understood his position as somebody that was unfamiliar to the small island. Anybody could have assumed that visitors and travelers probably weren't in higher numbers considering that there really wasn't much on the small island. Further thoughts become unimportant as Tidus suddenly remembered the recommendation of both the Wakka and Luzzu. Tidus suddenly turned to the elderly priest, perhaps with a little too much enthusiasm.

"You're the Temple Summoner, right?" Tidus asked, realizing in the next moment that his question might have been somewhat direct as the man's stern demeanor quickly became suspicious. The old man locked his leering eyes with those of the displaced athlete before his expression softened. Tidus sighed heavily "Have you spoken with Wakka?"

"You have arrived not five minutes following his departure." the temple summoner answered "He was concerned that your condition might have caused problems and believed that those at the temple be made aware. It is the nature of the toxin to inflict discord upon the lives of their victims, not much different from our tormentor himself."

"Tell me about it." Tidus groaned heavily "My memory concerning myself remains intact, but there is so much missing at the same time. It is becoming very irritating."

"One cannot blame your impatience." the summoner nodded in understanding "While afflicted with the tormentor's condition, everything from your worldly knowledge to your personal memories can become stripped away. However, your willingness to remember should eventually conquer the influences of the toxin."

"How long could that take?" Tidus continued playing his character, although mentally questioning the logical fallacy of how somebody could possibly remember something which had never been known to them in the first place.

"Your recovery should be determined by the strength of the toxin and your own physical constitution, so there is really no telling. The majority of sufferers usually recover their memories over time, influenced through prayer and service to the temples, others might require the guidance of somebody with whom they were familiar before becoming infected..." the summoner's expression became rather grave "Unfortunately, there are some victims whom never recover and must discover another place in the world."

"Really..." Tidus murmured.

"Rejoice!" the priest announced "Celebrate that our tormentor's poisons cannot survive within our systems and cannot your memories further. Such an unfortunate condition might bring several tribulations and challenges against you, but it cannot prevent you from recovering yourself, experience and education are some of our most powerful tools outside of prayer."

"Would you have any suggestions?" Tidus requested.

"Of course, dear child" the old priest murmured before motioning toward the western doorway "The temple's library contains several books that might prove useful in refreshing your knowledge on the world around you. You are welcome to research at your leisure, with Yevon's blessing, you might uncover what our tormentor has attempted to remove."

"Thank you." Tidus hesitantly performed the prayer gesture, although he understood there would be nothing clicking somewhere in his subconscious between reading books, his survival instincts insisted that he enlighten himself upon this mysterious world.

"I would normally refer you to High Priestess Allura, she would doubtlessly provide better assistance." the temple summoner breathed heavily "Unfortunately, she is currently making an unexpected journey to hold council with our brethren at the Awencer Temple."

"Don't worry about it." Tidus assured him "It cannot be helped."

The temple summoner nodded in understanding before excusing himself and proceeding into another one of the rooms, several youngsters in multicolored robes following into the antechamber behind him. Feeling anxious to follow the elder's useful advise, the displaced castaway approached the nearby library, pushing through the doorway and stepping inside.

The young blitzer shrugged upon entering an antechamber which might have been comparable to an ordinary sitting room, although there was little furniture between the four bookcases which leaned against the circular walls. The temple's small library possessed somewhere around two hundred books, whatever remained of the bookcases was stocked with religious scrolls. Tidus accepted the simple collection before him, as there obviously wouldn't have been that many books in circulation considering the desperate condition of the world. Tidus gathered several books which seemed to contain enough guidance to enlighten his appalling ignorance. Feeling prepared, Tidus removed himself to one of the small tables and seated himself before cracking one of the books and beginning his first intensive study session since before graduation.

Tidus Ashtear hardly noticed the three hours that ticked by while he absorbed himself in his focused studying, searching out various subjects of interest amongst the collection and discovering that every book he bothered opening always held some extremely relevant information.

The mysterious religion that everybody seemed to be following was his earliest subject of inquiry and the displaced blitzer referenced several lower level books for this. The castaway never bothered reading anything completely, his skimming across the text informed him that the religious community surrounding these temples worshiped an omnipotent spiritual being called Yu Yevon. The religion possessed several elaborate temples across the known world and their overall message was comparable to most ancient religions. The prodigy blitzer was really surprised to discover that religion and politics had overcome centuries of separation, leaving the religious government's chain of command rather similar to imperial legislation. Almost every civilized community possessed their own governor who would answer to the superior authorities that existed above them.

Further reading into the material enlightened the castaway to the five individuals whom governed the religious government, essentially composed of four second-seat officials following one unrivaled authority, known throughout the world as the four Maesters and the Grand Maester. Below these five dominant individuals were the High Priests that represented their native temples and communities, although these communities were usually governed by democratically elected officials. The regular priests existed below them and usually served as experienced advisors and healers to those that would frequent their native temples, most of them having gained their position by once serving as summoners. The summoners themselves essentially served as traveling priests and priestesses, charged with performing various rituals and ultimately making an unexplained pilgrimage between the numerous temples. Perhaps the most populated group existed at the bottom of the hierarchy, the acolytes that would perform the lesser duties for their native temples.

Tidus soon found himself absorbed in his curious research concerning the summoners. According to another weathered text, the summoners were practitioners of an ancient and powerful discipline who used their unique abilities to become champions of the faithful. These selective individuals participated in the hazardous pilgrimage which carried them between the numerous temples and challenged their dedication to eventually confront their ultimate objective. Those that surrendered to the crushing difficulties of the pilgrimage usually became priests, in which they would usually retain their original title as an awakened summoner. Those that managed through these difficult trials would inevitably find themselves confronting the tormentor in mortal combat. Those whom would be considered worthy by unknown fortunes, would fearlessly confront and challenge Sin.

His conversation with the crusaders came charging into his memory, essentially slapping him across both cheeks with the realization that it was the summoners that possessed the responsibility of battling against and hopefully defeating that murderous abomination. Tidus almost dropped the weather text at the realization. The prodigy blitzer found himself considering the powerful military of the northern metropolis and those neighboring countries which would have doubtlessly stood against that destructive beast. To someone such as himself, the concept of an average mortal actually standing against such an unstoppable monstrosity would have been deemed completely insane. Despite holding the tormentor's terrible power in such high regard, Tidus doubted that these summoners would have remained in existence unless they were capable of doing something against that murderous monster. Tidus was prepared to read further in the text, prepared to discover further information regarding those ambiguously mentioned abilities when suddenly his attention became divided by something beyond the antechamber.

"Hmm...?" Tidus grumbled before noticing the commotion outside the small library, several chattering voices penetrating the heavy doorways and drawing the young man's attention. Tidus hesitated somewhat before closing the book, retrieving his backpack and swiftly approaching the doors, opening them to reveal several of the villagers standing around the main chamber. Tidus stepped forward to notice that everybody was looking to the isolated stairway with grave concern, their overall chatter revolving around someone's health becoming rather noticeable. Tidus suddenly spotted Wakka in the crowd, the burning orange hair and blue bandana pinpointing him amongst the concerned onlookers. Wakka noticed him as he approached "What's happening?"

Wakka turned to acknowledge him before motioning beyond the stairway and toward the stone doors "The apprentice summoner hasn't returned from the trials. We were pretty sure that things would go smoothly, but it has already been an entire day and the villagers are becoming distressed."

"Refresh my memory." Tidus mentally wince at that tired expression "What are we talking about?"

"Beyond those doors is the Cloister of Trials which the apprentice summoner must pass through before reaching the Chamber of the Fayth, where they will proceed to pray for the blessing of Yevon." Wakka explained, excitement evident in his tone alongside his personal concern "Should their prayer be heard, their apprenticeship is brought to an end and they are officially recognized as a fully-fledged summoner, remember?"

"I suppose that makes sense." Tidus murmured having figured there would be some manner of challenge before somebody would be given those abilities that would enable them to successfully challenge their tormentor. Tidus then glanced back toward Wakka with slight concern "Is it particularly dangerous in there?"

"There have been some incidents in the past," Wakka explained, his cautious tone unwillingly illustrating the severity of the situation "Everything really depends upon the strength and willpower of the apprentice summoner."

"So you're just assuming that something might have gone wrong?" Tidus wanted to make sure that he was understanding everything considering that nobody seemed interested in offering assistance "Couldn't somebody go to make sure things are going alright?"

"You couldn't have forgotten that too?!" Wakka growled under his breath, hoping that nobody else heard his silent outburst between their chattering. Tidus remained silent, but his crossed arms and serious expression seemed to illustrate his response rather well in that moment. Wakka huffed before motioning back toward the doors "Sin must have had something against you, then again you haven't been around long enough to know what is happening with our apprentice summoner."

"I don't care about that!" Tidus hissed.

"Alright, sorry." Wakka grumbled under his breath "There are already three sworn guardians inside with the apprentice summoner and any further intrusion is strictly forbidden by the precepts. None of them should be expected to emerge until the apprentice summoner succeeds or . . . fails."

Tidus narrowed his cerulean eyes concerning this statement and immediately concluded that their apprentice summoner wouldn't survive unless she somehow managed to complete these dangerous hurdles. Everybody was crippling themselves with immense concern and their seemingly pointless traditions were actually keeping them from offering their assistance. Tidus suddenly found himself motivated to approach the forbidden stone doorway, something within his pounding heart demanding the young blitzer forward. There was an ominous presence reminding him that while he couldn't have possibly helped anybody during the final hours of the northern metropolis, these boundaries were much easier to transcend. Tidus thoughtlessly broke from the crowd and swiftly climbed the first several stairs.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Wakka shouted towards him "You cannot go in there!"

"Something has obviously happened and nobody else is going to do anything!" Tidus shouted back at the senior blitzer and those shocked villagers that created the crowd, the young blitzer having never considered how quickly they could become an angry mob. Unfortunately, he found that his sudden impulsiveness had driven past the point of no return "Would you rather your summoner died?"

Without further hesitation, the young blitzer twisted himself around and rushed up the remainder of the stairs before coming before the stone doorway before grasping one of the handles. Before he could push them open and move forward, he was addressed once again. The priest he had spoke with earlier had stepped upon the first step of the isolated stairway and was hailing him away from the doorway "Come down from there this instant, fool child!" the temple summoner shouted "The precepts must be obeyed."

"Tell somebody who cares!" Tidus shouted before pushing beyond the stone doorway and leaving the villagers absolutely shocked in the aftermath of his impulsive recklessness. Everybody looked toward the Auroch's Captain with reproachful expressions, apparently passing judgment upon the senior blitzer responsible for escorting the strange young man to their village. Wakka looked to the priest and following some hesitation, the balding man nodded and the muscular athlete dashed up the stairs after his misguided friend. The temple summoner found himself standing before the crowd and attempting to explain the young man's unfortunate condition, although he understood that the foolish castaway had already made opponents in their village.

The temple summoner understood that the sadistic influence of the tormentor's venom might have possessed that young man's unexpected thoughtlessness, but several of the villagers would probably need significant time to forgive such an intense transgression. The temple summoner performed the prayer gesture and silently prayed that Yevon would both offer forgiveness to their impulsive guest and speed the senior blitzer in intercepting him. When one considered the possible consequences of any summoner having their concentration broken, they would understand that the guardians could be particularly unforgiving to those that would trespass. Without Wakka present alongside the intruder, there was no predicting how three sworn guardians would respond to his intrusion...

* * *

The reckless castaway wasn't exactly surprised that these mysterious trials continued the artistic brilliance that was already present in the Besaid Temple. Beyond those ancient stone doors existed an elaborately decorated labyrinth that almost immediately proceeded into the underground. Almost haunting runes seemed to levitate from the various corridors and brilliantly colored lengths of neon stretched across several walls with perceived misdirection. Even as the young blitzer swiftly descended the stairways, he noticed several crystal spheres that were seemingly locked into sealed doorways and unyielding stone walls. Upon discovering what appeared to be an elevator, Tidus surmised that somebody had successfully passed through these corridors much earlier. 

"Hey! Hold up!" Tidus never managed to question the purpose of these apparently difficult trials as he heard somebody rushing down the stairs and the Auroch's Captain appeared around the corner "What in the world has gotten into you?"

Tidus turned to face him, his expression and body language insisting that he would be holding his ground, however he was somewhat surprised when Wakka stepped past him and walked towards the elevator. Tidus figured that Wakka was just as anxious to confirm the apprentice summoner's progress and spoke "I could blame my condition on this, but I'm really just not interested in standing aside while somebody could be dying."

"I wouldn't want to think that Sin's Toxin could be messing with your judgment either." Wakka murmured as the runes surrounding the perimeter of the elevator suddenly flashed and the older blitzer signaled the reckless castaway onto the platform. Tidus joined him before the elevator began descending "However, you seem to have forgotten that traditionally only summoners, apprentice summoners and their guardians are allowed to approach the Chamber of the Fayth."

"You came down here pretty fast." Tidus mused before glancing towards Wakka "I'm guessing that you meet the requirements."

"That's right," Wakka chuckled, lightly gesturing to himself "I'm a guardian. Throughout their apprenticeship the guardians provide the summoner with assistance and friendship, pushing them forward on their journey. Upon completion of their apprenticeship, summoners immediately begin their pilgrimage to visit every temple in Spira. Their sworn guardians also participate in this pilgrimage as their loyal protectors and bodyguards."

Tidus mentally smirked in guilty pleasure, his insistent deception having convinced the Auroch's Captain to the point that he was explaining everything in precise detail "You mentioned three other guardians, where are they?"

"While the apprentice summoner worships in the Chamber of the Fayth, their guardians remain outside and await her emergence as an official summoner." Wakka looked at Tidus rather seriously before speaking "There have been many instances in the past when heretics and blasphemers have attempted to interrupt this ritual, so the guardians remain prepared to take down potentially hostile intruders."

"Oh..." Tidus suddenly felt extremely foolish "What about you?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you should probably keep your mouth shut." Wakka warned as the elevator began reaching their destination "You shouldn't have anything to worry about as long as you stick with me."

The levitating elevator touched down rather noisily into the stone grove before Wakka motioned into the next chamber, clearly unprepared to confront his fellow guardians "The other guardians are just beyond this corridor. One of them's got a short fuse, and there's really no telling what the other's thinking. Our youngest guardian might be understanding of your condition, but considering that unwavering dedication, you probably shouldn't expect much."

Tidus nodded in response to these warning, resolving to remain silent.

"Well, we've already come this far," Wakka exhaled before stepping toward with the younger blitzer following behind him "Couldn't do much more by going all the way!"

The concerned castaway followed the senior blitzer without further questions as they walked down the next shadowed corridor, eventually stepping into an extremely elaborate chamber which surpassed the artistic brilliance of the surface temple. Those same mysterious runes were carved into the pillars that flanked the sides of the antechamber and twelve torches were strategically positioned around the room to provide gentle illumination. The chamber seemed strange in the aspect that there was another isolated staircase leading toward an unnatural looking doorway. Colorful banners stretched across the ceiling over the chamber and the corridor was blocked by an odd doorway that seemed to have been molded in the shape of some tropical leaf or heavyweight shield. Over the doorway was an almost forbidding silhouette of some strange winged creature, seemingly prepared to descend upon them.

"What are you doing here?" Tidus found his wandering eyes brought forward as an aggressive voice suddenly addressed the sworn guardian that accompanied him. Within moments he noticed the source of the voice was acknowledging the blitzball captain with a rather scornful expression. The speaker was an uncommon looking woman that was seated toward the bottom of the stairways, her negative tones seeming to illustrate her spartan nature. She slowly moved to her feet, remaining focused upon those that had intruded upon the solitude of the antechamber "You didn't think we could handle things?"

"No, it's uh...it's just..." Wakka silenced himself and Tidus found himself feeling guilty, the guardian was clearly protecting the younger blitzer from further accusation or consequences. Tidus was thankful regardless, rather unprepared to accept the possible punishments that might await him.

The speaker didn't respond as she casually stepped into the brighter torchlight on her approach, revealing herself to be an incredibly beautiful woman who seemed considerably different compared to the other female villagers running around Besaid Island. The woman's luxurious raven strands were organized into several tight braids that twisted into an elaborate hairstyle which was maintained by four ornate hairpins. The remaining length of these obsidian braids traveled down her back, eventually halting around her knees. The remainder of her ebony mane was brushed around the flanks of her face which concealed her expression from several angles, unintentionally concealing one of her ominous burgundy eyes. She was wearing violet lipstick and eyeshadow which seemed to enhance some deeply seeded mourning or negativity, and the presence of several earrings were also noticeable around her naturally beautiful features. The final aspect to be noticed about her appearance was the incredibly appropriate beauty mark, which was positioned under the left corner of her mouth.

Tidus imagined that her unnatural attire possessed some significance considering the otherworldly nature that surrounded both the manufacture and appearance. She was essentially wearing an elaborate black dress that stretched beyond her ankles, the laced lining hovering over the marble floor as she approached. This strange attire featured an already tightened corset around her abdomen which supported the abnormal outfit's strapless nature, leaving her bare shoulders visible to those around her. The dress continued upwards to incorporate wide-sleeves which including the same laced pattern on the cuffs of the sleeves which barely revealed her slender hands. The general area of the outfit that grasped her shoulders and crossed over her chest was oddly lined with darkly tanned fur which clearly wasn't synthetic or artificial. The overall design confused the young blitzer as she approached, although her no-nonsense expression removed any thought that she might not have been a warrior in her own right.

"You were sent here by the villagers I suppose. They should understand that properly invoking the power of the Fayth cannot be rushed." the woman grumbled as she crossed her arms over her ample chest, the violet polish over her nails seeming appropriate with the lipstick and eyeshadow.

"Apparently they don't. Everybody is waiting back in the main chamber." Wakka shrugged in response while Tidus remained in the shadows and beyond the suspicions of the intimidating woman who couldn't have been more than four or five years his senior. As he attempted to entertain himself with the brilliant architecture, Tidus suddenly discovered something that captured his undivided attention. He quickly surmised that this figure standing near the stairway was definitely another guardian and was doubtlessly more interesting that the beautiful woman speaking with the blitzball captain. Although many hot-blooded young men would have probably disagreed until they turned their attention toward the silent guardian and noticed that it clearly wasn't human.

Retaining complete silence and attention throughout the unexpected intrusion, this monstrous creature stood before the isolated stairway in the manner of an unwavering sentry, standing around seven feet tall and possessed an incredibly muscular physique. There was no mistaking the dominant feline characteristics that were prevalent across the silent creature's body, the clawed hands and powerful feet being some of the least noticeable features. The bestial visage resembled that of some proud male lion, although the presence of the bony stub protruding from the forehead couldn't be placed. Perhaps the only thing that separated this towering beast from the statues was the constant movement of the feline tail, which was unconsciously ticking off the passing seconds. Although many would have doubtlessly seen some brainless brute before them, Tidus never wavered in his observations even as the azure furred creature looked towards him. There was no mistaking the established consciousness that was present behind those golden eyes, almost demanding the curious castaway turn his attention elsewhere.

This powerful creature seemed to be wearing some manner of battle raiment that appeared tribal in the nature, considering the polygon patterns which were blanketed across the loincloth. The beast-man wore two belted gauntlets that were topped with what could be discerned as circular chainlink, although the steel rings that were belted around the shoulders seemed rather questionable. Two leather shoulder straps traveled up from the loincloth raiment to be locked towards with an imposing animal skull medal before moving across the shoulder and down the back. Several more black belts traced around the biceps and triceps, seeming strained under the powerful muscles of the beast-man. The golden emblem laced on a necklace of animal teeth appeared to be the only personal item the bestial guardian possessed, although there were probably some stories behind the fearsome halberd that the creature grasped in his right hand. Several moments passed before Tidus decided to turn his attention elsewhere, those golden eyes threatening to to penetrate the deepest recesses of his mortal soul. The bestial guardian huffed before turning his attention to the unnatural doorway.

"I might have missed something earlier, but wasn't our youngest going to be accompanying you?" Hakka asked in obvious reference to their youngest summoner whom he mentioned before entering the antechamber.

The woman shady woman shrugged lightly "Velkan heard that the fiends were becoming restless and venturing onto the pathways. The Crusaders have been shorthanded recently and he figured that he would be more useful in clearing the roads for those that couldn't do it themselves."

"I'm not sure what those people are planning, but they shouldn't be drawing so much manpower away from the towns and villages." Wakka readily agreed "What are they up to this time?"

"Don't try to change the subject, Wakka." the woman snapped towards him "You seemed pretty assured yesterday when you said you wouldn't regret missing anything and you're obviously not here to question Velkan's whereabouts. So I'll ask you again, what are you doing here?"

"He was following me." Tidus suddenly announced before stepping from shadows, having apparently been acknowledge but not actually noticed until he stepped forward with his hands raised "It was my fault."

The reckless castaway immediately noticed to aggravated expression which crossed her beautiful features, doubtlessly bearing potential consequences for his violations. Tidus found himself confused in the next moment, the expression having vanished the instant she had looked upon him. Her burgundy eyes blinked twice before reestablishing themselves upon his exhausted visage, countless emotions materializing within those burning gemstones. Tidus resolved himself to remain steady, but was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as the woman gaze upon him for several wordless seconds. Tidus remained clueless and was prepared to request enlightenment when the exotic beauty suddenly turned her attention elsewhere before looking back at him with an expression of complete neutrality. She composed herself before asking one profound question which did little to explain such intense confusion "Who are you?"

The young blitzer found himself thoroughly confused, but never received the opportunity to offer an explanation when suddenly the shield-shaped doorway across the antechamber suddenly began vanishing up into the threshold. The exotic beauty and the blitzball captain both focused their attention upon the elaborate doorway, stepping toward the isolated stairwell while the bestial guardian simply turned where he was currently standing.

Tidus hesitated slightly before stepping forward and standing alongside the ominous woman, although his presence seemed to have become irrelevant compared to the current happenings. The sworn guardians and the impulsive intruder watched in anticipation as the doorway vanished and another individual stepped forward into the antechamber. An incredibly brilliant, and almost painful light, flooded from the corridor and rendered the newcomer as an unfamiliar silhouette for several moments. Tidus realized in this moment that his original impression of the summoners couldn't have been possibly been more wrong. Once this powerful illumination had completely surrendered to the shadows, Tidus found himself entranced by the young woman looking down upon them.

When compared to the intense presence of the female guardian, this beautiful young woman possessed an innocense and gentleness that would have brought comfort and security to those standing in her presence. The young summoner standing before them displayed an unparallel amount of natural beauty which seemed to stand in opposition to the exotic appeal of the female guardian. Feather-soft strands of chocolate brown caressed her exposed shoulders, an ornamental braid of gold and sapphire beads flanking the right side of her delicate features. There was an expensive looking silver and diamond necklace that tapped against her collarbone, slightly reflecting the torchlight around the room. The young blitzer found himself dismayed as she stumbled forward in obvious exhaustion, her unseen eyes turned toward the marble floor, concealed by her chocolate bangs.

The beautiful summoner's elaborate attire seemed to continue the various differences that existed between herself and the female guardian. The young summoner wore a long sapphire skirt that seemed to rival the midnight horizon, several laced illustrations of growing ivy and shining stars stretching along the hem before crawling up the right side. She wore a white kimono-style shirt was pulled tightly about her upper body in a halterneck style, purposefully positioned of some manner of black undershirt. An oversized yellow belt with lotus flower designs tightened around her slender waist before forming into a large bow around her back. She wore separated white sleeves that were tightened around her upper arms with azure lace, flowing into feminine pink around the wide cuffs of the sleeves. Stepping towards the final step of the stairway allowed those gathered within the antechamber to notice the ebony traveling boots that concealed her delicate feet.

The awakened summoner stepped forward with some obvious difficulty, battling through both the physical and mental exhaustion that she found herself punished with. Her right hand wrapped around the lowest portion of an elaborate staff which seemed to possess some manner of religious emblem crafted from some golden material. There were several pieces of silver jewelry present around her slender body, including three silver rings and two silver bracelets. The burning torchlight illuminated the beads of sweat that were visible on her shoulders and neck, clear evidence that whatever happened within that ominous chamber was extremely demanding. Tidus found himself concerned and gasped sharply alongside everybody else as she suddenly dropped around the sixth step, threatening to tumble down the isolated stairway.

The young blitzer initially lunged forward but stopped in his tracks as that bestial guardian suddenly rushed from where he had been standing. That deadly halberd clattered to the marble floor as two powerful legs skipped up the stairs with polished swiftness, one muscular arm being brought to intercept the disoriented summoner. Everybody breathed in relief as the seemingly monstrous guardian gently stabilized the delicate young woman, stepping back at her unspoken insistence. Everybody watched in anticipation as she turned toward them and stood rather proudly, tossing her sweat-soaked locks backwards and looking down upon them with two beautiful eyes of emerald and sapphire. Then there was that beautiful smile that echoed with confidence and achievement, remaining completely untainted by any pitiful arrogance.

"I've done it," the young woman whispered with unbridled happiness, either oblivious or unconcerned with the presence of the impulsive intruder "I have become a summoner!"

* * *

Following her triumphant return from the forbidden ground known as the Chamber of the Fayth, the awakened summoner was almost immediately escorted back to the elevator by the female guardian and the silent beastman, deliberately leaving the two intrusive blitzball players behind. Eventually boarding the returning platform, Tidus and Wakka both remained silent as they journeyed back through the trails and into the central chamber of the Besaid Temple. Although there was little question that Tidus had made several foolish mistakes by following his natural instincts, Wakka seemed somewhat discouraged himself. Although he was concerned for his newfound friend, he figured that everybody would probably be forgetting about his foolishness considering the circumstances. 

Tidus remained silent as he stepped back into the central chamber, the concerned crowd having gathered around the awakened summoner and her present guardians with unceasing congratulations. Several villagers started exchanging the prayer ritual with the young summoner and the mysterious guardian, audibly praising their benevolent spirit for their successful return. The feline guardian remained unimpressed with the surrounding villagers, having resolved himself to constantly scanning for possible threats, those that acknowledged him merely nodded in approval before moving on. Beyond everything else, Tidus noticed the temple summoner performing the prayer ritual with rather dramatic movements before the powerful sculpture that had grasped his attention earlier.

Tidus remained situated around that ancient doorway until the Auroch's Captain stepped forward and announced that everybody should begin gathering in the village square, the summoner stepped through the crowd with her guardians before the villagers followed. Within moments those several villagers that had formulated the anxious crowd had vanished through the main entrance in their journey toward the village square. Tidus found himself alone with the temple summoner and breathed deeply before approaching the older man whom he had deliberately spurned. The balding priest was finishing his prayer ritual and was prepared to follow the villagers when the younger man came to stand before him "I must apologize for my impulsiveness. I fear that I might have overreacted."

"It would seem that your condition is rather severe, although we cannot possibly pass judgment upon somebody that finds themselves stumbling through the shadows of their own mind." the temple summoner looked to him with an almost demanding expression "Your transgressions will remain undocumented for the moment."

"I appreciate your mercy." Tidus breathed "Not that I don't feel really stupid."

"Considering that the summoner and her guardians seemed unconcerned with your intrusion, your recent transgressions will remain undocumented." the temple summoner chuckled before placing one hand on the younger man's shoulder "Regardless of your condition, there is no ignoring your displayed readiness to assist those that might have been in immediate danger. You must understand that our tormentor's poisons cannot diminish our natural instincts, it wouldn't surprise me if your former existence involved some manner of conflict."

"That would seem possible." Tidus murmured "I do have some memories of fighting monsters..."

The temple summoner nodded in approval "Should your memory remain unrestored, I'm sure there will be several opportunities within your future, but enough prattling on, we should proceed to the village square to witness our awakened summoner." the old man headed toward the main entrance and Tidus followed several footsteps behind him, still feeling somewhat displaced despite being forgiven. However, he continued forward upon remembering his interest in how an average mortal, a young woman, could possibly defeat that murderous monster.

Tidus stepped from the imposing temple rather cautiously, having an underlying feeling that the other worshipers might not have been as obligated as the temple summoner to offer him forgiveness. Those that had been crowding in the temple were now surrounding the summoner, who could be seen standing in the center of the village square. The feline guardian stood upon the foundation of the temple, watching the perimeter of the crowd that now surrounded the awakened summoner. Those golden eyes hardly acknowledged the impulsive castaway or the balding priest as they approached the awakened summoner and her two loyal guardians.

Tidus stepped toward the crowd and was almost immediately apprehended by Wakka, who rather insistently dragged the young man toward the front of the crowd "Come on! You've gotta see this!"

"Would you mind if I walked myself?" Tidus responded before tearing Wakka's arm away, falling completely silent as he noticed both the ominous woman and the young summoner were watching him. Within that moment the prodigy blitzer found himself being examined by the freshly awakened summoner, those beautiful mismatched gemstones seeming to obsessively absorb everything which could be processed in the quickest glance. The slightest moment of utter confusion appeared across the young summoner's delicate features before she immediately dismissed his presence, unseen enlightenment flashed through her mismatched pupils. Her confusion almost seemed similar to those expressions displayed by the female guardian earlier, but seemed to be entirely different in nature. The young man surmised that her attention was probably aimed toward his notorious condition or the uncommon clothing that created his uniform.

"Are you ready?" the female guardian question with an unexpectedly nurturing tone, the young summoner responded by turning toward her and boldly nodding with an incredible determination. Her female guardian nodded in turned and then removed herself to the surrounding crowd, glancing toward the Auroch's Captain before turning to watch the young summoner. Tidus found himself watching with mind-numbing suspense, wondering what everybody was so anxiously expecting of this beautiful young woman. He originally possessed his doubts, but seeing the sheer amount of unwavering determination upon her beautiful features, he realized that there was much more substance to this situation than he could have possibly imagined.

The young summoner could be seen physically exerting herself as she moved both her arms overhead in a sweeping arc before bringing them together around the elaborate staff. The golden emblem remained held to the afternoon sun for several moments before being brought leveled with the young summoner's forehead. She seemed to be concentrating upon herself and seemed to remain motionless before her body suddenly lashed outwards in one fluid movement, gracefully shifting her weight forward and snapping her right foot back across the ground, her right hand holding the staff behind her while the other reached forward.

Without warning several strange lights began appearing around the village square, transforming into to various emblems and symbols around the awakened summoner, these manipulations coming without explanation. Several more of these ominous symbols crafted from this phenomenal energy began materializing in mid-air, the arrows of the four winds appearing to revolve around the young summoner. Within moments this same phenomenal aura suddenly shattered into four beacons of an incredible light, which launched themselves toward the heavens above. Tidus watched in speechless fascination as these spiraling beacons pierced the tropical clouds above, throwing the steady blanket in disarray with an impressive explosion of light and sound. The summoner dropped from her stance and turned toward the reshaped horizon as something began plummeting back to the earth, answering the call of the young summoner.

The young blitzer instinctively braced himself for another attack upon witnessing this monstrous entity pierce through the tropical cloud-cover, although the vision of the steady villagers around him influenced him against preparing for confrontation. Instead of becoming frightened, the surrounding onlookers watched in utter astonishment as some tremendous bird-like creature descended upon them. Two jagged wings slashed stabilized the large creature before two crushing talons slammed into the ground of the village square, the bone crafted face looking to the young summoner with expectation. Crimson feathers smoothed themselves out across the upper body to display considerable calm and the young blitzer hardly noticed himself holding his breath as the summoner stepped closer without even the slightest trepidation.

The summoner's staff dropped against her shoulder while her free hand stretched to trace the smoothness of the flying creature's skeletal features, the jaggedness of the beak seeming passing just under her palm. Those leathery wings dropped slightly and the bird-like creature's eyes closed for the slightest moment, revealing the mastery possessed by the young summoner before it. The summoner smiled lightly before motion back toward the sky and almost immediately the creature rose from the ground and with one powerful motion of it's wings it was airborne and soaring over the small village. It moved toward the open ocean and literally disappearing into the horizon, vanishing as suddenly as it had originally appeared.

The young summoner slowly turned back at her guardians with an expression of established confidence, her proud smile seeming to invoke further chattering amongst the villagers as the blitzball captain and the mysterious woman came alongside her. The female guardian softly embraced the younger woman, supporting the summoner's weight as she suddenly succumbed to the physical demands of the summoning. The Auroch's Captain proceeded forwards and became rather animated in an unrehearsed pep talk, which brought another amused smile to the young woman. Tidus glanced back slightly over his shoulder and momentarily noticed the slightest shadow of another smile appearing upon the maw of the monstrous guardian, although this vanished between cautious glances.

Turning his attention back to the summoner and her guardians, he noticed another individual stepping forward from the surrounding villagers, approaching the awakened summoner rather boldly. The young blitzer found himself unable to understand anything that was exchanged over the chattering of the villagers, but he was clearly bringing greetings and congratulations. Although Tidus found himself limited by the presented distance, there was no mistaking that this newcomer couldn't have been any older than himself.

The summoner nodded toward him with that prideful smile, apparently pleased that this other young man had managed to witness this wondrous event. The blitzball captain chuckled before patting the newcomer on the shoulder asking another unheard question, the newcomer responded with some nonchalant gesture. The ominous woman chuckled lightly before reinforcing her support of the young summoner, making some request of the younger man, her words remaining unheard over the crowd. Further instruction seemed unnecessary as the newcomer followed them back toward the residential area of the village, the feline guardian stepping down from the temple's foundation and following moments later.

"I suppose you're finding the summoning pretty impressive, ya?" Wakka questioned casually upon approaching the stunned young man.

"No kidding." Tidus murmured "What in the world was that thing?"

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, ya?" Wakka exhaled before crossing his arms, that familiar sagely expression appearing across his rugged features "For centuries that creature has been called Valefor, known amongst the summoners as the phoenix of the southern winds. Valefor is one of several blessed beings that answer the call of the summoner and stand against anything that might threaten the people of Yevon. We call them the Aeons."

"An Aeon..." Tidus murmured before glancing in the general direction that the enormous creature had vanished, finding himself lacking the imagination to possibly imagine that creature being one of several. Absorbing Wakka's almost sagely tone, there was no mistaking the endless respect and honor for the magnificent creature that was prevalent within his words. Although his ignorance remained, the displaced blitzer possessed little doubts that this blessed creature possessed an incredible power that was probably beyond his conception.

Several moments followed before he glanced back toward Wakka "So, what is gonna happen now?"

"The awakened summoner will now recover her strength which has been depleted during the trials," Wakka then chuckled before dropping one arm across the younger man's shoulders, one friendly gesture that was becoming more acceptable considering the blitzball captain's nature "But tonight the village shall celebrate the awakening of the summoner and beginning of the pilgrimage. I'll introduce you to the rest of the Besaid Auroch's then."

"Alright then." Tidus nodded with a slight smile, having completely forgotten about his earlier commitment to assisting the small island blitzball team. Although he would never have considered going back on his promise, he was beginning to actually wonder how anybody could possess such terrible fortune. There were several teams in the northern metropolis that had encountered some terrible seasons, although they usually managed to bounce back with the same players. Tidus was beginning to suspect that their main problem might not have been something as simple as sheer skill or natural talent, perhaps it was something psychological, not that Tidus would profess to understanding much about psychology.

"In the meantime, you might want to clean yourself up." Wakka suddenly announced before bring one hand to surprisingly ruffle through the younger blitzer's blonde hair, several grains of sand dropping from between the roots. The drying sand and salt remained on his uniform as well and the inevitable odor would probably become most offensive to the people around him.

Tidus looked back towards his partner, already knowing that he was prepared to offer his advice on the matter of cleansing himself before the celebration "What would you suggest?"

"The village bathhouse is over there." Wakka announced before pointed towards another established structure somewhere beyond the nearby general store, the bathhouse having been erected against the bamboo wall that surrounding the small community. Wakka slapped him on the shoulder "You can get your clothes washed and freshen yourself up before the celebration begins."

"Alright then." Tidus murmured before thoughtlessly moving towards the indicated bathhouse, feeling that it would probably be intelligent dismiss himself from the villagers for the moment. His minors wounds were still burning from exposure to saltwater and he figured that there wouldn't be much harm in washing his uniform. Tidus found himself wondering about the summoner however, questioning the extent of her already impressive talents and abilities. However, Tidus eventually figured that he probably wouldn't have the opportunity to personally ask these questions following his interruption of the sacred ritual. Suspecting her to be absolutely loyal to the precepts of her religion, Tidus would have never suspected they would ever speak to or travel with one another.

However, his expectations on the approaching future remained horribly misinformed...

END OF CHAPTER SEVEN

* * *

Author's Note: Everybody should probably know that I am portraying Lulu without those various belts that conceal her legs during the game, instead the dress remains unaltered in that respect. I attempt to make sense of these strange outfits, but anybody that would consider the weight of twenty some leather belts would probably understand how it would be an enormous disadvantage. My original character will have a formal introduction in the next chapter, alongside several original scenes which might have happened during that evening. Tidus will motivate the Besaid Aurochs much differently from the original version. Lulu and Wakka's argument will have some character development behind it, mostly background information on Chappu. Tidus and Yuna's first meeting will be completely different and much improved over the original version. Kimahri... well, everyone favorite feral guardian is probably just going to stand somewhere looking menacing. 


	8. Chapter 8

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Eight

Tidus Ashtear watched as the final moments of the daylight succumbed to the darkness of the evening. Regardless of where or when he was, there was still something wondrous about the sunset. He watched for several moments as those lingering sunbeams mixed with the distant clouds to create that auspicious rainbow of colors on the skyline above the distant waves. The prodigy blitzer found himself watching from the oceanside outcroppings, having removed himself from the small village when it became obvious that his presence wasn't wanted there. Having finished his business at the village bathhouse, the revitalized castaway had stepped behind the elaborate temple to witness the sunset of the mysterious new world. Despite holding such an appreciation of this nightly happening, his mind still wandered and the lingering twilight seemed less majestic than before. There was little question that the circumstances were driving him into depression, the atmosphere almost seemed appropriate as those evening shadows cloaked themselves across the planet. It wasn't unlike how the darkness seemed to constantly be closing around himself.

The small island's villagers were gathering in the square. An incredible banquette was being prepared in honor of the summoner's awakening and the smell of burning wood wafted from the enormous bonfire which brought light to the festivities. Tidus had been tempted to approach the banquette, but the obvious contempt of the villagers seemed more important than his growling stomach. Having managed to survive an average childhood and adolescence, Tidus was naturally accustomed to spoiling first impressions, but had never before suffered such merciless judgment. In that moment, the young man loosely contemplated throwing himself back into the ocean, but realized nothing would be gained through such recklessness.

"Ah! There you are!" Tidus breathed heavily, glancing back towards Wakka as he stepped from the beaten path and toward the displaced castaway. Tidus shrugged before tossing another random pebble, the plunge going unheard over the sounds of the rushing waves. The blitz captain approached with his arms outstretched. "What'cha doing hiding behind the temple?"

"I wasn't exactly feeling welcome." Tidus murmured.

"Well..." Wakka's shrugged "...You gotta understand the villagers, they understand that you're suffering from Sin's Toxin, but they have never encounter anybody whose infection was so severe."

"They're probably going to be spreading rumors about me..." Tidus murmured, forcefully chuckling "...I suppose I should be flattered that there are some people sympathetic to my condition."

"You never know, those gossipers might be on to something." Wakka dropped onto the large stone next to Tidus, casually plucking one of the rocks from the ground and chucking it much farther than his younger friend. "Some of the acolytes are suggesting several possibilities about who you could be. It takes more than reckless courage to rush into a potentially dangerous situation just because somebody else might be in trouble."

"They're actually finding something commendable about such behavior?" Tidus shrugged, somehow discovering humor in his unacceptable recklessness. "I rushed headlong into those forbidden grounds completely unarmed and without the slightest thought of what might be awaiting me. Good thing you managed to showed up when you did, otherwise your fellow guardians would have probably beaten me to a bloody pulp."

"You couldn't have known, ya?" Wakka responded, shrugging heavily before acknowledging the younger man as another thought suddenly popped into his mind "I've actually been wondering about finding you unarmed. Regardless of your condition, anybody should understand exactly how dangerous the outside world is these days, shouldn't you be carrying something to defend yourself?"

"I'm hardly that ignorant. I was carrying a longsword before getting shipwrecked." The prodigy blitzer shrugged, before glancing towards his right hand to display nothing in his grasp. "However, getting tossed around the middle of the ocean probably loosed it from my possession, not to mention my clothing and money. "

"Your fortunes certain aren't to be envied." Wakka announced, before casually lacing one muscular arm across his younger friend's shoulders and lightly punching him in the chest, the impact lacking an obvious effort. "I'll speak with Luzzu, the Crusaders probably have something they can spare."

"Thanks, Wakka." Tidus breathed.

"For Yevon's sake! You've really gotta get over this!" Wakka suddenly shouted before standing, forcefully pulling the younger from his seated position upon the boulder. Within the same moment Tidus found himself being steered back toward the village, seemingly indifferent to being forced forward by the senior blitzer. There was some "Come back to the village and get something to eat at the banquette, you'll feel better before long. Some of the villagers are looking to offer their prayers for your recovery and the Besaid Aurocks are probably looking forward to meeting their newest teammate."

* * *

The village square had become much more crowded following sundown, centered with an overbuilt bonfire which blazed several meters into the air and surrounded by several tables which supported several platters for the picking. The villagers were gathering around the square, their various conversations revolving around subjects which couldn't be discerned over the crackling lumber. The island's blitzers were standing away from the bonfire, gathered around their flamboyant captain and the infamous newcomer. Tidus attempted to remain positive before the ill-fated blitzers, understanding that displaying his discontent over his current problems would do much to increase morale.

"Gather round, boys!" Wakka shouted, gathering the attention of his teammates, not to mention some of the nearby villagers whom happened to be in earshot. The castaway remained impassive as the stronger blitzer slapped one arm upon his shoulder, one calloused hand meeting the upper section of his armguard "You've probably heard about the newcomer here, shipwrecked out in the middle of the ocean and washed ashore earlier this morning. He is suffering from exposure to the toxin, so you should understand that his memory is pretty cloudy right now."

The castaway was becoming frustrated with counting upon this same pathetic excuse, although it was probably better to be considered handicapped than to be considered insane. Nobody would have believed what really happened, especially considering his unconscious transgressions against their religious lifestyle. There probably wasn't anybody that, given the same situation, would actually place their chances on telling the truth. Tidus would continue allowing them to assume this memory condition existed, although allowing Wakka to explain everything was much less stressful.

"His memory is actually what brings this meeting to order." the captain announced "You might have noticed earlier, but our newcomer ain't no amateur at handling the blitzball. I wouldn't be surprised if he played regularly and considering that the tournament is coming up soon, I've decided to bring him onto the team for the tournament."

The next moments surprised Tidus. He would have expected even the lowest underdogs to have been uncomfortable with hiring on some shipwrecked freelancer, especially for such an important tournament. He would have expected himself to have been confronted by several objections, or teammember blatantly refusing to surrender their place in the spherepool. Instead, his presence was welcomed by these five islanders and almost immediately found himself surrounded by them as they made their introductions. Tidus found himself discouraged in this moment, this small island's team found themselves so completely absorbed by their lackluster records that they were willing to accept anybody, including some nameless stranger.

"My name is Botta." one of the Aurochs introduced himself, snatching the newcomer's hand and clasping it upwards in that friendly embrace. It could be assumed that this young man was pretty tough, physically characterized by an athletic frame which was decorated with several shallow scars. His crimson hair was pulled back and knocked behind his head. His slanted eyebrows showed determination, but his fadded brown pupils weren't cooperating. He spoke "In the spherepool, Jassu and me usually handle the offense."

Botta motioned to another young man, whose sun-scorched flesh announced his islander heritage. He possessed honey blonde hair which was cropped short along his scalp, joined by an uninspired expression. There were several chalk-colored markings running around his biceps which suggested meanings which existed somewhere outside blitzball. He nodded slightly before speaking, his voice seemingly unconvinced "Good to have you onboard."

"I'm Datto." Tidus looked to the next person who had carelessly grabbed his armored hand. It should have been obvious to anybody that this blitzer probably came from the north, considering that his skin-tone was much brighter than any of his teammates. There was some confidence in hazel green eyes, but not enough to convince the castaway that he wasn't as discouraged as the remainder of his team.

"I handle the defensive with Letty." He motioned towards another player who casually saluted the newcomer. Letty was another islander much like his teammate Jassu, clearly possessing superior upper body strength and constitution. He sported short trimmed dark hair and an several whiskers which formed into a noticible goatee. He also had chocolate color markings which crisscrossed his toned arms, although the overall design was different from the other islander. Tidus looked towards the final player as he approached, smirked and casually slapped him on the shoulder.

"The name's Keepa, I'm the goalkeeper that makes their lives easier." there was some definite determination in his voice. Anybody would have believed him overweight at first glance, but an experienced player would recognize the physical strength which existed beneath that shell. His attitude seemed unflappable despite his teammate's negative dispositions. In that moment it could have been assumed that this young goalkeeper either possessed an unwavering self-confidence or had somehow remained ignorant of the team's deplorable reputation. Tidus was will to accept the former as Keepa smiled "So what makes you so interested in the tournament?"

"I'm hoping that someone will recognize me at the tournament." Tidus shrugged, speaking casually to his newfound teammates "Maybe being present in the spherepool will refresh my memory. Otherwise, I suppose going freelance for the right price wouldn't be too shabby."

Wakka laughed before speaking "I've been talking with our newcomer and we've decided to reconsider our overall goals."

"Are you serious, Captain?" Jassu asked, confusion upon his features "The Besaid Aurochs' have always followed the same goal."

"That would be 'To Do Our Best', right?" Tidus suddenly interjected.

"That's right." Botta responded carefully "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Tidus breathed deeply, mentally preparing himself for the next several minutes. An earlier conversation with their captain had provided the young blitzer with the significant problems which crippled the ill-fated team. Having already received Wakka's permission, Tidus was prepared to approach these lackluster blitzers in the same manner he would have approached middle school blitzball players. Another speech which would revolve around raising the morale and confidence. His personal problems might have been occupying him, but not enough to completely forget his promise to ensure that the Besaid Aurochs would have an unexpected performance at the upcoming tournament.

"From what I've been hearing, your best doesn't seem to be cutting it." Tidus suddenly announced, the five islanders looking at him with surprised disbelief, the captain meanwhile seemed amused in the manner that the newcomer was addressing their problems. The teammates found themselves intimidated in that moment, noticing the unwavering seriousness pressed into his features. Those sapphire eyes glinted in reflecting the flames of the bonfire. "I'm not trying to insult anybody, but you're probably giving yourselves a disadvantage by relying on such an outdated philosophy."

"I don't understand your meaning." Keepa questioned "Shouldn't we be striving to do our best."

"Of course." Tidus answered. "Everybody should be trying to realize their greatest potential, but by concentrating upon your reputation you've allowed yourselves to believe that you have limitations. You've allowed yourselves to be intimidated by your opponents. You've convinced yourselves that you cannot beat them because they have beaten you before. You're surrendering before even entering the spherepool."

The Besaid Aurock's found themselves listening intently, somehow torn between being inspired and intimidated. Several moments passed with the players contemplating their opportunity to speak, but found themselves discouraged from responding. Botta suddenly managed to shatter the silence "What are we doing wrong?"

"You claim that you're doing your best, but in doing so you're created an excuse for your problems." Tidus announced, casually pacing around before the blitzers, his features becoming dauntless in his lecturing "You cannot attempt to determine your potential by yourselves, otherwise you'll be leaving that window open to doubting your abilities. Your potential is something that must be discovered during your confrontations in the sphere pool. You must strive to improve your confidence as well as your abilities.

The castaway continued speaking, already beginning to see their confidence becoming reinforced in the ill-fated blitzers as he approached the conclusion of his lecture "The greatest champions have earned their trophies by never considering themselves unbeatable. Those desperate underdogs have achieved their victories by never surrendering and striving to be better. One of the greatest strategies is to never underestimate you opponents, but an even greater one is to never underestimate yourselves." Tidus motioned slightly towards their patient captain "I'd love to continue, but I believe your captain could say it better."

"Tidus isn't kidding." Wakka announced, stepping forward and pumping one muscular arm. "We cannot allow ourselves to become distressed over what has already happened. When we're floating in the spherepool, we must forget about everything which has happened before. We must become unrelenting in realizing our new goal." Wakka slammed one fist into his powerful chest. "And our new goal...is victory!!"

Tidus smiled, perhaps it lacked that dramatic flare, but Wakka definitely scored points for enthusiasm.

"Victory!!" Wakka shouted, echoing himself. "To win every match. To defeat every opposing team. To reign victorious in the tournament and bring the crystal cup back to our island." Wakka laughed in shrugging, dropping his arms across his chest. "There doesn't seem to be much more to winning! Should be easy, ya?"

The Besaid Aurochs found themselves stunned in that moment. Their surprise didn't stem from their newest goal, but the revelation that their captain and the newcomer actually believed that they could somehow recover from their considerable losing streak. Several seconds of intense silence passed with the surrounding villagers looking towards them, eventually being broken by Wakka softly pumping one arm and softly whispering "Victory!" tossing one hand into the center of the small circle which had been created amongst the uniformed players.

"Victory!" Wakka whispered again, splaying his fingers in the effort to encourage his teammates to join in.

"Victory!" Tidus said, somewhat louder, before stepping forward to slap his armored hand down upon Wakka's.

"Victory!" Keepa shouted, repeating the motion with an obvious enthusiasm.

"Victory!" Botta followed, slapping down on their goalkeeper's hand rather sharply.

"Victory!" Datto howled, cranning his hand before joining the center "I'm looking forward to it already!"

"Victory!" Jassu announced, slipping coming down the slightest moment before Letty.

"Victory!" Letty shouted, slighting glaring towards Jassu for beating him to the punch.

"Victory! Victory! Victory!" The Besaid Aurochs chanted loudly, gathering greater attention from the villagers that had surrounded them. The silence of the evening was broken for several minutes as the chanting continued, followed by the villagers issuing an enthusiastic applause to the beat of their shouting. Their unplanned huddle shattered with one final shout, their hands going down and then up towards the starry horizon with an incredible energy. The island's blitzers found themselves energized and were prepared to play through the tournament ten times before the next morning. Their captain remained composed, but there was definitely something within the deepest reaches of his heart which had been touched by this moment. The newfound twinkle in his brown eyes was proof enough.

It was in that moment that Tidus Ashtear couldn't keep himself from smiling. Putting aside those personal problems, things could have been much worse.

* * *

Around an hour passed following the resurrection of the island's native blitzers, and the amused castaway found himself wondering how much longer the banquet would last. Apparently starved to confront their competition, the aforementioned blitzers had relocated themselves beyond the village gates and were running through some standard drills. Their captain had naturally followed them, but reminded the shipwrecked freelancer that the Crusader's Lounge had made preparations for his slumber. Tidus shrugged before depositing two clay plates alongside several others which had been used over the course of the evening, the temple's acolytes periodically retrieving them to be washed. The young blitzer retrieved an apple from another table before resuming his earlier position, leaning against one of the support beams outside Wakka's home.

Several villagers offered their gratitude for stirring some confidence within their unfortunate blitzball team, but everybody possessed an obvious discomfort in being around him. Tidus considered himself fortunate that the elderly priest had been gracious enough to continue offering kindly nods, which somehow reminded the castaway of his beloved grandfather. There was also that female guardian from earlier, there would have been little mistaking that woman in any crowd, but there was something about her he couldn't discern. Almost immediately after noticing that the castaway was still around, she removed herself from the village square and essentially vanished into the living area of the village. The blue-furrred beastman had removed himself from the celebration hours earlier, although his exact reasons remained unknown. Tidus wasn't comfortable with being the black sheep, but considered himself fortunate that these religious villagers were passive by nature.

Tidus remained absorbed in his reflections, becoming disconnected from the world for several blissful moments. These inner-musings were abandoned upon noticing that someone's footsteps were tapping against the dusty ground and several natural instincts flared into attention. The prodigy blitzer immediately noticed somebody approaching from the main gates, although the simple approach and casual stature suggested no possible threats. Tidus casually chomped into the apple as the unknown individual approached, feeling that these unexpected occurrences were probably going to become commonplace. As the newcomer stepped closer to the bonfire before approaching the castaway.

The castaway's attention was drawn to the newcomer's youth, at around sixteen years he was much younger than the average villager. The young man's appearance also seemed peculiar, his windblown chocolate strands betraying the shorter cuts that seemed popular amongst his neighbors. Two emerald-colored eyes were centered upon his youthful features, the black irises seeming like subtle imperfections upon flawless gemstones. The blazing afternoons of the tropical island would have kissed upon everyone, but his lighter complexion suggest that his origins could be found somewhere further north. The newcomer was probably around three inches shorted than the intrepid castaway, but there was little question that he was lightfooted. The young villager dressed differently from his peers, seeming to have sought clothing that would be travel worthy and allow effortless movement. The most apparent wardrobe choices were the sleeved shirt and hunting slacks, each of them earth-toned garments which resembled desert sands. The young villager wore an almond-colored jerkin which layered over the sleeved shirt. The sleeveless garment was buttoned down the front and seemed to provide some subtle protection to the wearer. The sand-colored slacks were rolled down over some sturdy leather boots which had seen some travel recently. The lower section of the slacks were held against the boots by narrow lengths of cloth that wrapped around twice before being knotted against his calves. There was a small dagger sheathed in a belted scabbard around his left ankle. His fingerless leather gloves were stuffed between his belt and waistline. The reflection of the jumping flames brought his attention to the single piece of jewelry the young man wore. A sterling silver charm supported by a black leather strand, there was an emblem engraved around a precious emerald gemstone. There was no questioning the charm's sympathetic value, an obvious family heirloom.

The newcomer was carrying several weapons upon his person. The castaway adjusted his stance, the young man could have easily been one of the crusaders or another guardian. The recurve strongbow strapped across his shoulder was an imposing weapon, flaunting obvious strength and flawless craftsmanship. The newcomer was right-handed, black-feathered arrows being accessible from the leather quiver over his right shoulder. There was a second leather belt strapped over the brown jerkin which carried two additional weapons, an eight inch dagger and shortsword. The sibling blades were sheathed in matching scabbards and their mirroring designs suggested that both weapons had come from the same blacksmith. Another moment passed before the castaway finally recognized that newcomer as one of the various individuals that had assisted the awakening summoner following that breathtaking demonstration. Tidus prepared himself as the other young man approached, having come to the understanding that the majority of the small village would have wanted nothing from the ignorant transgressor.

"You're the castaway that washed ashore, right?" The teenage vagabond asked in passing, mirroring the castaway by leaning back against another one of the support beams that grounded the blitzball captain's humble home. The younger man stretched slightly, the ligaments in his shoulders popping before his sleeved arms were brought across his chest. His expression seemed nonchalant as she glanced back towards his audience. "You're the same mysterious individual who has suffered our tormentor's toxin, transgressed against the temple and inspired our unfortunate blitzball team?"

"Once you've gotten to know me there won't be much to consider mysterious." Tidus shrugged, casually glancing towards the newcomer. "Don't worry though, I appreciate the compliment."

"I suppose sarcasm should be expected from someone in your position." the newcomer chuckled. There was some obvious tension in the conversation, but much thinner than most of those that the blitzer had participated in that morning. "The summoner is actually concerned about your condition."

"You couldn't imagine why." Tidus grumbled.

"That so?" the newcomer shrugged "How about enlightening me?"

Tidus was somewhat surprised, but found himself measuring his options. It eventually became apparent that there really wasn't much reason to not start venting "I suppose I'm surprised that while the temple summoner has already forgiven me, your fellow villagers have no intention of forgiving what happened."

"I'm not really surprised." the newcomer shrugged, visibly disappointed "These poor people are usually suspicious of any visitors and are completely terrified of anything that they cannot see coming from over the horizon." the newcomer casually leaned back against the support "You shouldn't let them bother you, another resident of the village actually trespassed around twelve months ago and the villagers have completely forgotten about it happening."

"They're not really my real problem." Tidus grumbled, leaning backwards and breathing "I'm pretty confident that the summoner's bodyguards aren't buying my current condition."

"Really?" the archer raised an eyebrow "What is your concern?"

"That strange woman has been getting frustrated whenever we're anywhere near one another and she's always leaving with the most aggravated expression. Then there is that one bodyguard that has been patrolling the village and occasionally watching me. He seems to be very protective of the summoner." Tidus' features became grave. "Should I be expecting trouble?"

"The guardians were suspicious earlier, but they have come to understand your unfortunate condition." the newcomer shrugged, offering an uncertain gesture before continuing "I cannot assume your reasons for trespassing onto the forbidden grounds, but you obviously meant nothing against the apprentice summoner. You shouldn't concern yourself about the guardians. Your transgressions are the least of our concerns."

"So the summoner is your concern?" Tidus murmured "Would that make you another one of her guardians."

"That's correct." the youngblood responded, chuckling slightly in the announcement. "I'm a sworn guardian of our awakened summoner."

"Good to know." Tidus shrugged before straightening himself, extending one gloved hand to the youngblood guardian "I suppose I'm the mysterious freelance blitzer who was shipwrecked earlier this morning, but you can call me Tidus."

"Velkan." the guardian nodded in introduction before accepting the handshake, offering an encouraging smile before slapping the castaway on his shoulder "You're probably gonna encounter some challenges with your condition, but sometime loosening up and appreciating the moments we've been given can work better than prayer."

"I'll keep that in mind." Tidus chuckled.

"Alright, time to handle official business." the youthful guardian chuckled before removing his knapsack and searching through the contents. "Wakka wanted me to inform you that the Besaid Aurochs are going to be boarding a passenger ship tomorrow morning which will be heading off for the tournament. We'll be leaving the village around sunrise so you should probably get some sleep before long."

"Alright." Tidus nodded "I'm probably going to be heading there after while."

"Don't get me wrong." Velkan chuckled, continuing to search. "We're not going to start parenting you or anything."

"You're fine, Velkan." Tidus responded before raising an eyebrow "What're you looking for anyway?"

"The temple summoner figured that heading into the outside world without recovering would probably be dangerous without some assistance." Velkan explained before suddenly fishing three books from his knapsack, casually stacking them before looking through them and then facing the mysterious castaway "Luzzu suggested that reading these books would probably be more effective than chanting prayers and memorizing scriptures."

"Alright." Tidus nodded "What'cha got for me?"

"Summoner Rolland's Bestiary." Velkan murmured before passing Tidus a compact hardback which was wrapped in black leather and centered with some manner of animal fang, the book appeared to be most menacing in nature. Velkan hesitated slightly before explaining "You should probably start reading through this one immediately, unless you're planning to never travel anywhere beyond the southern islands. This contains detailed information about the various species of the monsters that are constantly roaming our world and should give you an invaluable advantage in the event you're forced into fighting them. This book contains every known snippet of reliable knowledge, should you come across something that isn't between these covers, you'd better start running before it notices you."

"I've been handling myself just fine." Tidus shrugged "It'll probably be much easier one I secure another weapon."

"Maechen's Guidebook." Velkan chuckled before passing Tidus another compact handbook, the second being paperbacks and decorated with the naturally familiar silhouette of the known world "You should probably consult this handbook whenever you're heading into another location with which you might have become unfamiliar. Maechen's guidebook contains information regarding most of the mapped villages and even contains detailed maps to the more traveled sections of the wilderness. This one actually isn't Maechen's latest edition, but it should contain enough information to prevent you from aimlessly wandering into the wilderness."

"Stick to the beaten trail." Tidus chuckled "Got'cha."

"The temple summoner was pushing this copy of the Yevonite Scriptures." Velkan announced before passing Tidus another compact handbook which was wrapped in pigskin and emblazoned with several unfamiliar religious symbols "The old priest believes that reading through this book might assist your recovery, although understanding the ancient scriptures would probably be most difficult with your clouded memory. Considering the severity of your condition however, you should probably examine the precepts and etiquette. People everywhere will probably sympathize with your exposure to the tormentor's toxin, but you cannot afford another mistake like this afternoon."

"I'm looking forward to avoiding them." Tidus shrugged, accepting the third book before smirking "Of course, you're gonna need to be prepared to answer stupid questions in the meantime."

"No problem." Velkan laughed, his emerald vision then darted to the silver moon "I would enjoy continuing this spirited conversation, but the midnight is approaching and I've other responsibilities to contend with. Having been shipwrecked this morning and become condemned this afternoon, you certainly have your reasons to slumber peacefully."

"See you around." Tidus offered the slightest wave before dropping backwards against the wooden supports, never considering that such carelessness might be damaging to blitzball captain's tented house. Those sapphire eyes casually monitored the teenage guardian, watching his movements back towards the small village's single permanent structure. Tidus figured there was something worth trusting in Velkan, which was becoming rather frequent following his arrival within the unknown world. Tidus continued watching Velkan approach the blazing bonfire, his concentration becoming completely divided upon noticing another individual sitting around one of the prepared tables. The massive celebration was simmering down and several villagers were retreating to their personal homes, their newfound absence creating an uninterupted view to the beautiful summoner who was barely sitting around ten meters away.

Several moments passed as the curious castaway found himself unconsciously monitoring the beautiful priestess, becoming completely entranced with the unstressed confidence and unwavering dedication she obviously possessed. There was something within her composed presence that almost seemed surreal, something that was completely different from anything he had ever encountered before. Another moment passed before the curious castaway realized the beautiful priestess was looking back toward him with the same unnatural intensity. Those mismatched gemstones eventually found union with his own glittering sapphires, somehow seeing one another beyond what mortal vision should have been capable of seeing. An innocent amusement tugged against their lips in that moment, eventually becoming strickened when one of the villagers noticed that the condemned castaway had become smitten with the beautiful priestess.

Tidus suddenly found himself floored as somebody aggressively attacked him from behind, sending the unsuspecting young man crumbling to the ground, several molded fragments decorating the ground around him. Tidus screamed loudly as his gloved hands grasped the base of his skull, the shattering impact having struck the painful lump he'd received in those crumbling ruins. The young blitzer's vision was blurring and his ears were ringing alongside the sheer discomfort that shrouded his hammered skull. Somebody could be heard screamed something incoherent before suddenly stomping down, tenderizing his abdomen even further and removing another impressive chunk from his patience. Several footsteps could be heard rushing in from nearby when his attacker was suddenly knocked backwards.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Velkan shouted, stepping forward to aggressively shove the assaulting villager away from the attacked castaway. The aggressive villager growled before attempting to move around the young guardian, two of the other villagers moving around to restrain him from further stupidity. He struggled several moments before eyeing the

"That worthless heathen, he was looking at the summoner!" the attacker shouted. Velkan recognized him as one of the younger fishermen that usually

"I'm looking at the summoner!" Velkan shouted, becoming erratic in turning to the shocked priestess for several moments and noticing the expression of disappointment within her features. Velkan then twisted around to the villager, becoming more frustrated with every passing second "Are you gonna smack me upside my head too?!"

"That blasphemer trespassed in the middle of the awakening ceremony!" the villager shouted with misplaced aggression, shooting daggers toward the stumbling castaway as one of the female villagers assisted him in recovering his balance "You're supposed to be our summoner's guardian! You're allowing him to deceive you, northerner!"

"And you're digging yourself deeper, islander." Velkan seethed "You actually think that somebody wanting to harm the summoner would shipwreck and expose himself to our tormentor's poisons? You're disgracing yourself!"

"Velkan is right, Drent!" the female villager shouted as she supported the castaway, lowering him into one of the simple chairs which were positioned outside Wakka's home "Somebody plotting against the summoner wouldn't have tried anything when there were three guardians standing against him, unless the toxin has started stripping away common sense."

"I'm actually beginning to remember something," Tidus suddenly growled, gathering everyone's attention as he corrected himself with one hand grasping his assaulted cranium. Tidus breathed heavily before speaking "Then again, it's probably natural to despise such paranoid morons!"

"Wretch!" the villager screamed before suddenly pulling loose from his captors an rushing toward the frustrated castaway. The villager tossed one random punch towards the young man, but suddenly found his punch intercepted by the blitzer's armored hand. The villager grunted as found himself introduced to his opponent's remaining fist, which was driven into his . The angry villager coughed heavily, instinctively curling into his punished stomach, never noticing that the castaway had gained the advantage and was currently holding the villager up by his collar. Those sapphire gemstones glared hard and those ivory teeth were displayed in his next words, constructed from the fragments of his shattered patience.

"You touch me again and you'll regret it!" the frustrated blitzer shouted before tossing the villager to the ground, glancing once towards the summoner and her guardian before suddenly removing himself from the village square. His movements were screaming with an unwanted aggression and the loitering villagers remained speechless as their offended guest retreated toward the temple. Many would have noticed that burning frustration, but there were others that recognized that painful depression that somebody could have possessed such distrust toward him.

"Do you understand how much you've disgraced yourself?" Velkan snapped towards the floored villager, who seemed much more surprised by the sudden confrontation than the discomfort in his abdomen. The villagers whom remained following the conclusion of the celebration were silently returning to their homes, apparently feeling less confident regarding their earlier judgments of the castaway. The three villagers that had been surrounding the summoner assisted their foolish neighbor in standing before escorting him elsewhere. Velkan breathed before "I'd better speak with him..."

"I'll handle that, Velkan." the summoner suddenly announced, grabbing her guardian's attention before motioning him towards the three villagers escorting their foolish neighbor "You have other responsibilities to attend to this evening, correct?"

The young guardian hesitated somewhat, already understanding that attempting to convince the awakened summoner against something would have been pointless, unless her guardian's concerns could be justified. The wronged castaway could be seen over her exposed shoulder, retreating further and then vanished around the magnificent architecture. His concerns were vanquished upon noticing that somebody was watching the frustrated newcomer, those golden gemstones glowed in the silver moonlight. There was some connection there which couldn't be discerned, but somehow their bestial guardian realized that the summoner would be speaking with the newcomer. Velkan decided against pressing the matter.

"Alright." The guardian chuckled "The Besaid Aurochs have probably forgotten the hour again and I suppose that the Crusaders could probably use some assistance transporting the remainder of their equipment to the docks."

"Thank you, Velkan." the summoner smiled, dismissing her guardian before following the frustrated castaway.

* * *

Several minutes passed before Tidus found himself simmering down. There was something about the waves crashing against the small island that brought some tranquility to stand against his understandable frustration. Another rounded stone cracked against the ground before skipping into the ocean below, the castaway collecting another stone before repeating the simple action. The depressed castaway found himself in the same position as earlier in the evening, the surreal repetition seeming symbolic that there would be further challenges in moving forward. There was massive weight bearing down upon his heart. The castaway found himself questioning his survival capabilities in the outside world, and the potential consequence for another unforeseen transgression against the world's dominant practices.

Tidus leaned forward slightly as another presence became apparent in the next moment. Nobody could have missed the cautious footsteps which were moving down the elaborate granite staircase that descended upon the cliffside lookout. The castaway carelessly snatched another rounded stone, casually juggling it between his gloved hands before dropping it back into the gravel that created the ground. Tidus breathed as the second person dropped into one of the other stone chairs that were scattered across the lookout, neither of them uttered anything. Tidus decided against looking, figuring that it would be either Wakka or Velkan coming to reassure him that everything would be forgiven. One could imagine his surprise when he found himself joined, not by the friendly blitzball captain, not by the teenage guardian, but by the recently awakened summoner.

"You've encountered several troubles recently, haven't you?" the beautiful priestess murmured as those entrancing gemstones looked across the distant ocean, the shimmering celestials and glowing moon reflected against the crumbling waves. Tidus found himself watching rather intently as she leaned forward, her elbows resting upon her knees and those delicate fingers interweaving before her. The natural beauty's elaborate summoning staff was leaning against the armrest, those silver emblems upon her midnight dress somehow rivaling the twinkling figures upon the shadowed horizon. The mysterious priestess breathed before speaking, her feminine voice possessing an apologetic and disappointed tone "I must apologize for my neighbor's foolishness."

"I'm beginning to think I might have overreacted back there." the castaway noticed another smile tugging against his lips, almost chuckling at the unbelievable situation before continuing "Then again, I suppose such foolishness would be why everybody is suspicious about me. I should probably be apologizing to you and your guardians for my intrusion earlier."

"It wasn't your fault." the priestess responded, her graceful features dominated by an amused smile of which the young blitzer almost found himself becoming envious "The villagers were worried because of my own overconfidence, although my guardians had warned me that my challenges within the Chamber of the Fayth would be extremely difficult. I could understand the villagers being concerned, but I'm curious about your reasons for trespassing upon the temple's forbidden grounds."

The castaway found himself ashamed and turned his attention to the ground, not wanting to bring unforeseen consequences upon the blitzball captain, he proceeded with an altered storyline "After overhearing that apprentice summoners could perish during their challenge, mostly about how nobody would emerge until the summoner either succeeded or perished. I thought that somebody could be suffering behind those doors and everybody was too frightened to do anything about it."

"But then again..." the distraught blitzer exhaled, surrending to the temple summoner's assumption "...considering that the temple summoner was everybody was ordering me to back down and your senior guardian was shouting about the precepts..." one gloved palm landed against his forehead "...my natural instincts essentially overwhelmed my better judgement."

"The temple summoner explained that much to me." the summoner smiled, the silver moonlight creating an even more spiritual atmosphere around the young woman as she continued speaking "However, there are countless situations where such an instinctive response would be more than welcomed. Imagine that there had been somebody beyond those doors being attacked by somebody and the villagers were too frightened to offer their assistance. What would you have done?"

"Shouldn't that be obvious?" the curious castaway question without the slightest humor, softly slapping one gloved fist into his armored palm "I would probably have sent them to the cemetery."

"Unless you've served somewhere in the military, you're definitely a blitzball player." the summoner chuckled, running one hand loosely through those chocolate strands "I've never encountered anybody else naturally possessing such willingness to confront unknown opponents in order to service somebody else."

"I don't know about the military," Tidus responded humorously, considering he really didn't know anything about this mysterious world's government-based defense forces "I've never been capable of leaving somebody that was suffering when I found myself capable of helping them through their troubles, it actually makes me feel worthy of myself. I'm familiar with the practice of minding my own business, but that selfish concept has never made much sense me."

"Oh really?" the summoner smirked, looking to her present company "Is that why you've decided to watch Wakka's back?"

"Not really." Tidus confessed, lighting smiling as he leaned forward "The Besaid Aurochs could probably handle themselves if everybody was as dedicated as the captain, but those players really need some motivation and confidence. I'd be willing to assist however I could, but considering they have purchased my contract for the tournament..." Tidus shrugged in trailing off, chuckling at the humor of the situation.

"It wouldn't be in your best interests for your newfound teammates to somehow surprise the spectators." the priestess concluded his sentence, that joyous smile never flinching upon her beautiful features "

"I really appreciate it, summoner..." the castaway slightly baulked at himself, not exactly feeling positive about addressing the beautiful priestess by her esteemed title, especially considering that there couldn't have been much more than six months between their respective birthdates. The young blitzer shrugged on reflex to the awkward moment, one hand moving behind his head before finally speaking again "Should I be addressing you by your title, or did your parents not name you anything?"

"It is considered proper etiquette to recognized standings, but I'd rather people didn't address me on such an impersonal basis." she readily confessed, nodding slighting in introduction "Please, call me Yuna."

"Tidus." he responded, his handsome features reflecting his heartfelt happiness.

Yuna's positive expression seemed to become even more upbeat "A pleasure to meet you, Tidus."

"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Yuna." Tidus responded with the same expression, pleased with having another friendly encounter following his unfortunate mistakes from earlier. The castaway could have imagined himself and the priestess chatting into the earliest hours of the morning, but it became apparent their meeting was limited following an uncomfortable silence from his pleasant company.

"It would seem our conversation is over." Yuna breathed before motioned toward the summit of the nearby staircase, the young man hesitating somewhat before turning his attention upwards. That bestial guardian was positioned upon the staircase, watching both teenagers with those golden eyes and holding that vicious halberd in attention. The castaway realized that the dedicated bodyguard had probably been watching throughout the duration of their conversation, although he clearly possessed nothing to regret from talking with the summoner. Tidus took notice of the unspoken connection as Yuna casually nodded and stood from the granite chair, casually bowing toward the curious castaway before smiling "We'll have to talk more tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Tidus echoed, somehow doubting that the summoner would be anxious to continue talking around sunrise, when the crusaders and the blitzball players would be heading out.

"Everybody heading north will be boarding the same boat." she explained, somehow reading his obvious thoughts before turning and walking up the staircase with that same brilliant grace she'd so perfectly characterized. The guardian sidestepped as she reached the summit, watching the surrounding with an unspoken passion. The bestial bodyguard acknowledging the castaway as the summoner gave the slightest wave in his direction, a harmless gesture which he answered with his own casual salute. The summoner eventually vanished from view and the guardian followed, collecting that dangerous battle spear and resuming his responsibilities with that same unwavering dedication.

The next several minutes passed slowly, with those crashing waves and chirping crickets creating the background theme to the prodigy blitzer's sudden realization. Despite having survived those eighteen years that created his existence, there was something within the beautiful priestess which the teenage castaway had never encountered before. Some unknown phenomenon which almost possessed spiritual presence, something which should have seemed so obvious and remained an impossible paradox. There was something within that beautiful young woman that would bolster assurance in her knowledge and influence peacefulness amongst those around her. Perhaps . There might have been an explanation somewhere, but like so much of commonplace knowledge that dominated this unknown world, Tidus couldn't have been expected to know.

Around quarter-hour passed watching the shrouded ocean, the reflection of the glowing moon something that almost rivaled the unpredictable patterns of his beloved twilight, something which he hadn't been seeing recently. Whatever pain existed from the earlier incident had vanished from his attention, and following his conversation with the summoner, he once again found himself content with his unusual situation. The exhausted castaway discovered himself surrendering to his considerable fatigue and ultimately decided to follow his newfound friend's advice. Casually shouldering his waterproof backpack, the young man traveled through the small village without incident to arrive before the Crusader's Lounge.

The sleeping soldiers snoring in the foyer proved pretty useless, but the unarmored receptionist was good enough to glance up from some small novel and motion their newest visitor into the next chamber. The single mattress was literally marked for the sleepy blitzer and was surrounded by several similar mattresses which were mostly occupied by several others. Tidus found himself undeterred by the presence of these other individuals and dropped face forward onto the mattress, the stuffed cotton shifting under his weight. The teenager was unconscious almost instantly, having apparently resolved to sleep above the provided sheet and blanket, never even removing his backpack or his armguard. Sleeping would have probably seemed challenging to somebody else in his position, probably anybody that was native to the unnatural world. But when everything seemed so surreal already, somebody such as himself might actually discover their dreams more predictable.

Unfortunately, there is no predicting when pleasant dreams might transform into horrible nightmares...

END OF CHAPTER EIGHT

* * *

The Summoner: Throughout this novelization, the beautiful summoner will be undergoing several significant changes to her lackluster personality and standoffish behavior. Instead of being unspoken, Yuna will become much more sociable toward supporting characters. The summoner will also be much more outspoken concerning major decisions and naturally confrontational toward potential opponents. Yuna will continue being portrayed as the classical priestess and will probably remain behind her guardians throughout most encounters as the entourage's primary healer. However, the summoner shouldn't be considered useless when she is forced into defending herself, essentially eliminating that stereotypical helplessness of the female protagonist. I'm looking forward to positive feedback considering that people are either going to embrace of despise the massive revamp I have prepared for the storyline's nefarious Seymour Guado.

The New Guardian: An original character developed specifically for this novelization, he has been designed to provide another character's perception to the challenges of the summoner's pilgrimage. The newest guardian's overall purpose is to provide additional information regarding character backgrounds and important happenings, essentially increasing involvement. The newcomer possesses developed relationships with his fellow guardians, each of them being somewhere between personal and professional. Having survived through an extremely difficult childhood, the young guardian is naturally mature and serious regarding the unexpected dangers of the surrounding world. Velkan comes across to strangers as optimistic, outgoing, sarcastic and sometimes suspicious. although his newfound responsibilities have made him fiercely determined and occasionally temperamental. Velkan is an extraordinary marksman who dispatches his opponents with his longbow, he is also known as an acceptable swordsman possessing intermediate abilities.

Readers/Reviewers: I've always gotten my main inspiration from my reviewers and I am looking forward to your comments and impressions. I've already planned to make several additions and alterations to this wonderful storyline, but suggestions from my readers are more than welcome. I'm more than capable of handling constructive criticism. I understand it is pretty unbecoming to openly request reviews, but it does confirm that people are actually reading my novelization. You've read, so please review.


	9. Chapter 9

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Nine

His current situation seemed like an impossible paradox.

Tidus found himself running. Although his specific reasons remained completely unknown, his instincts dominated everything and continued pushing him forward. There was an unending darkness spread out before the running castaway, possessing no obvious ground or boundaries, an impossible void of nothingness which would have frightened anybody into stopping. Instead, the stubborn blitzer pushed himself even harder, sprinting mindlessly through the pitch blackness which had completely shrouded an indistinct dimension. There seemed to be little explanation for such behavior, running ceaselessly without any possible destination, a conscious thought should have ceased his movements. But something unknown continued pushing him forward without argument, running forward into those treacherous shadows and the untold mysteries which existed beyond.

Something shifted within those enclosing shadows as several figures appeared upon some manner of nearby mountain. Although these unknown silhouettes were standing several kilometers away, everything became impossibly visible within the darkness. The blitzer's headstrong approach was eventually confronted with an intense sunlight which gleamed outwards from behind the numerous people before him, attracting him forward through some hypnotic presence. That incredible distance which separated them was conquered within moments, and it was upon coming to stand before them that he recognized those that were present within this blackened void. The numerous citizens of the northern metropolis whom could have flaunted their connections to the prodigy blitzer, essentially everybody he'd even known stood before him in that moment... never speaking... never breathing...

The Zanarkand Abes and headstrong coach stood around the front of the crowd. The various other blitzball teams which he could remember stood behind them, forming ranks and maintaining an unwavering confidence. The blitzer's closest friends, mostly known from the schoolyard, their adjacent parents and families formed portrait-worthy ranks within the enclosing darkness. Several other classmates and associates from his childhood neighborhood stood there, those whom he'd occasionally bumped into on the streets of the northern metropolis. Those numerous celebrities often standing in his company, both obnoxious and admirable, were present alongside these less renowned individuals. Even those annoying announcers and ignorant analyst stood amongst these people with their microphones and notepads prepared for anything.

The prodigy blitzer almost suffocated in the next moment, almost forgetting to breath as the members of his extensive family began appearing amongst these familiar individuals. His three aunts and four uncles appeared alongside his coach, three of the men being his father's younger brothers and one woman being his mother's older sister, whoever remained having married into his parent's families. These individuals created ranks around their nine collective children, his rather diverse cousins whom completed three small families of five members each. His father's youngest brother was standing alongside his current girlfriend, somewhere around ten years senior to the prodigy blitzer himself. His surviving grandmother and grandfather stood alongside their grandchildren, both having come from his father's side.

Tidus steadied himself upon noticing one of the smallest individuals standing closest to him, possessing dusty blonde strands which caressed his shoulders and aquamarine gemstones which were centered upon his youthful features. Steadily approaching adolescence, the youngster stood around average height and seemed healthy enough for somebody having lived around one decade. The youngster was an obvious supporter of the Zanarkand Abes, flagged almost completely in the official clothing of the aforementioned blitzball team. The preteen possessed his own blitzball casually positioned under his right foot, leaning forward with an expression of boyish confidence which couldn't have been broken easily. Tidus breathed as they noticed one another standing in the darkness, this was his younger brother born around ten years earlier, the ambitious youngster whom his father couldn't have known about.

Tidus swallowed upon noticing the slender arms which crossed his brother's shoulders, leading up to the beautiful woman responsible for keeping him stable throughout his challenging existence. Overgrown strands of the deepest brown stretched down to gracefully brush around her lower back, painstakingly tamed into presenting the utmost straightness and silkiness. Her beautiful features remained even as she ventured through her middle years, smooth paleness surrounding two emerald green eyes which promised endless patience and unmatched kindness. This was his beloved mother, whom remained eternally beautiful and remained endlessly patient without regards to the injustices the terrible world had visited upon her. One would probably believe she prepared herself for somebody, but her heart remained eternally devoted to the one man whom her eldest son couldn't tolerate.

Tidus remained unwavering as somebody placed their hands upon his mother's slender shoulders, attached to some muscular arms belonging to another person whom should have perished from his memories several years earlier. Windblasted chocolate strands remained disheveled upon his shoulders, seemingly designed to enhance the rugged masculinity which dominated his overall appearance. The athletic man's copper-colored eyes seemed accented by the windblown strands, although several fractions brighter by comparison. Constantly remaining shirtless, the elaborate emblem which created their family seal could be seen emblazoned across his chest and abdomen as an iconic tattoo, masterpiece material by most standards. The fledgling prodigy stood unwavering before the famous legend in that moment, somehow remaining antagonistic towards the vision of his deceased father, known to the northern metropolis as Jecht Ashtear.

Although everybody else remained motionless before them, the legendary champion glanced toward his estranged offspring and into the endless darkness which surrounded them. The rising prodigy glanced over his shoulder and then back to discover himself and those closest to him completely surrounded by the total population which inhabited the northern metropolis. The crippling silence of the surreal moment was shattered as an intense screaming suddenly rose up from those impossible numbers, an infernal scream of the unabashed terror that seemed to echo throughout the eternal darkness. Tidus found his attention drawn toward the nonexistent horizon above him and gasped just moments before the ominous silhouette of their horrible tormentor descended upon them...

* * *

The sweating castaway grunted before suddenly striking the hardwood floor, breathing rapidly before jumping back to his feet and readily absorbing his immediate surroundings. Recent memories came rushing back, bringing about the inevitable realization that these unwanted experiences had been crafted within himself, an encounter spawned from the darkness of his own subconscious. Several moments passed before the castaway removed himself from the floor, approaching the front door where some midnight refreshments were displayed. The receptionist and crusaders were missing, leaving their newest guest uninterrupted in collecting some of the barreled water between his bare hands. As the refreshing liquid washed the dryness from his throat, he noticed the commotion outside.

"He's dead! Dead!" an unknown voice snapped in the darkness, coming across rather cryptically considering the nightmare which has chased him from his slumber. The angry voice barked once more, coming from the village square. "Why can't you understand that?!"

Tidus collected himself before peeking beyond the simple curtain which was nailed over the building's entrance. He was surprised to discover that this uncomfortable conversation was being shared between the blitzball captain and that same female guardian. The once massive bonfire was dwindling behind them and wouldn't last another hour. The numerous villagers which had been partying earlier had probably retired earlier in the evening. The mysterious woman's presence seemed rather imposing in that moment, evident considering Wakka's crossed arms and nervous pacing.

"You're overreacting to this." Wakka responded, attempting to protect himself from unspoken accusations.

The female guardian breathed before speaking "I cannot ignore the slight resemblance between them, it's almost enough to surprise or confuse anybody, but that doesn't justify you bringing him here."

"You're being unreasonable, Lulu." Wakka responded, although much weaker than would have been expected. "There might be some similarities, but their resemblance has nothing to do with anything. He washed ashore after being shipwrecked and brainwashed. He couldn't remember anything about the world or even himself. The poor guy needed help and you cannot tell me anybody else wouldn't have done the same thing."

"Excuses again?" the woman snapped, aggressive and threatening "Would anybody else have carted him into the temple?"

"Yeah, but..." Wakka stuttered "Lulu..."

"Why must you be so impossible?!" The mysterious guardian, apparently called Lulu, aggressively snapped towards her counterpart with a newfound frustration which revealed the breaking point of her dwindling patience. Her unexplained frustration became illustrated in her moments, tossing her attention aggressively towards the shadows before stalking away from the dwindling bonfire. Wakka attempted to speak, but found himself silenced by her harsh conclusion "Chappu isn't coming back and the sooner you decide to accept this, the sooner your attention can return to completing the pilgrimage. I believe you once made the claim that an unfocused guardian is completely worthless. Instead of chasing shadows, you should be turning your attention to something that might make some difference."

Wakka became motionless and speechless as his comrade vanished into the evening shadows, venturing elsewhere and leaving the impulsive guardian with his troubled thoughts. The unseen observer couldn't have understood the nature of the exchange, but there was no question that the ominous woman's counter had been inexcusably vicious. The blitzball captain possessed an expression which the younger prodigy would have attributed to the most painful failures, usually seen in shattered relationships and unrealized ambitions. Several moments passed before Wakka recovered himself, stepping away from the dwindling bonfire and approaching the nearby lounge. Tidus casually stepped backwards from the doorway and dropped onto the bench provided, the senior blitzer seeming slightly surprised upon entering the building.

"Should I be getting accustomed to that woman's crappy attitude?" the younger blitzer questioned at the sorceress's expense, but received nothing in response from his newfound companion. There was little questioning the complexity of the situation and Tidus slightly snapped down upon his own tongue upon realizing that his headstrong greeting might have been unnecessary. Wakka breathed heavily before sitting himself on the coffee table, glancing towards the floor as his fingertips came together in a familiar gesture of deep thought. Tidus remained silent for several moments. "Do you wanna talk about this person, Chappu? You're obviously concerned about him."

"My little brother, Chappu." the senior blitzer breathed after several moments of considering his position, his posture carrying the classic symptoms of somebody who'd suffered considerable torment over the subject. "The villagers have been acting strangely because there is some resemblance between you both."

"...You've gotta be kidding me?" Tidus grumbled. He found himself mentally cursing whatever supernatural specter brought these unbelievable circumstances down upon him. Most would have thought that his existence was already challenging enough. It seemed that against impossible odds, his surreal situation had become even more complicated.

"Depending on whose looking, there might be some similarities at first glance." Wakka shrugged, dismissing the apparent connection as nothing. "The Aurochs noticed immediately, but everybody figured that having blonde hair and lighter skin would have dismissed the slight resemblance, but apparently you've brought some distress to some of the more superstitious villagers."

"..." The younger blitzer considered his response carefully. "...Your little brother's gone, huh?"

"...Yeah." Wakka breathed before turned his eyesight back towards his sandles. "Chappu decided to join with the Crusaders without warning and was with one of the combative detachments around the Mushroom Rock coastline. He was supposed to be with troopers assigned with clearing out the wandering fiends that were emerging with the seasonal rains, everything was proceeding without problems until several Sinspawn were suddenly discovered. More crusaders arrived to exterminate those wretched creatures when..."

"...Sin..." Tidus absently snarled, righteous indignation filtering through his vocal cords with the memories of his precious hometown and those countless civilians whom vanished beneath the waves. Those feelings which flared within his heart was an unbridled hatred for that murderous abomination, something more the blitzers shared in common.

"Almost ninety-five percent of them were completely destroyed by that wretched monster, those whom survived suffered massive exposure to the toxin and the precise details remain unknown." Wakka breathed before glancing towards the abandoned blitzball sitting in the corner of the lounge. "Chappu was discovered crushed under several boulders and the message caught up with me around one month later, shortly before the opening match of the pre-seasonal tournament."

The younger prodigy suddenly became downtrodden, beginning to recognize the painful gravity which was crushing down upon the older brother's shoulders. Tidus breathed slightly in remembering several things said earlier that afternoon "I'm beginning to understand. You're little brother became the standing captain after you became a sworn guardian, why would he suddenly abandon the Aurochs to travel with the Crusaders."

"My superior experience and knowhow might have justified being coach and captain, but most players couldn't have competed with my little brother's natural talents." Wakka leaned forward with obvious trepidation crossing his features, speaking after several moments of considering his thoughts. "I've spent several restless evenings trying to figure out his reasons for suddenly abandoning blitzball and following the armed forces. It just doesn't make any sense."

"I really couldn't tell you." Tidus breathed. "There are too many possibilities, it really depends upon the person."

"The situation seems pretty ironic, ya?" Wakka shrugged where he was sitting. "It's been almost twelve months since that monster killed him and now I'm running of on another pilgrimage, attempting to ultimately destroy him."

"You're seeking vengeance." Tidus breathed. "You'd think that you're fellow guardians would understand."

"Lulu actually understands better than you'd think." Wakka quickly responded, instinctively jumping to the defense of his female counterpart, but coming across as more informative than anything. "I became a sworn guardian to battle against Sin, but now I'm more concerned about some stupid game than avenging my brother or completing the pilgrimage. It's disgraceful."

"Hm..." Tidus grumbled.

"I've already resolved to remove myself from blitzball after this next tournament, regardless of whether or not we manage to walk away with the Crystal Cup." Wakka announced with the slightest movement of his hand, glancing toward the younger blitzer for several moments before breathing heavily. "Brudda, win or lose, everybody really appreciates you coming with us."

"It's alright, Wakka." Tidus announced, shrugging off his comrade's suddenly display of appreciation. "You've brought me into your village and given me a better chance at getting back into the world. If you're prepared to tolerate me following you around for the next couple of days, I can certainly score a couple goals against your team's cursed records."

"Good to know." Wakka chuckled, the strained smile rather refreshing after the older blitzer's crushing dissonance. He breathed before standing and approaching the doorway, opening the curtain and glancing back towards the younger blitzer. "I'm gonna be hitting the mattress. We're gonna be heading out before sunrise so you should probably do the same."

"Cool." Tidus nodded, giving the slightest wave as the senior blitzer moved through the doorway and vanished into the evening shadows, walking across the village square to his own humble dwelling. The prodigy blitzer breathed before turning and walking back toward the sleeping area, dropping against his mattress and closing those sapphire eyes. The evening breeze moved through the small lounge, brushing across his features before he surrendered to another slumber, one that was blissfully dreamless.

* * *

Meanwhile, the frustrated guardian and accomplished sorcerous found herself walking through the residential district. Her displeasure would have seemed rather obvious to anybody standing outside. The argument between herself and her fellow guardian brought increased frustration to the potentially dangerous woman, negative emotions bringing considerable pressure upon her limited patience. The magical energies which flowed throughout her voluptuous physique were naturally flaring in that moment, having been awakened by the discontent which followed the confrontation. Lulu continued forward with her steady and aggressive movements, never even considering the impressions her fellow villagers might have received from such behavior.

The sorceress slowed down upon hearing a rather distinctive sound from somewhere nearby and immediately followed under the impression she would encounter one of her fellow guardians, instead she found herself confronted with an unexpected scene. The summoner and the remaining guardians were currently stationed outside their respective homes of the residential district of the small village. Yuna was seated outside her humble dwelling with those mismatched eyes absorbing another one of those pocketbook journals she commonly studied. Velkan was seated nearby with several wooden shafts and metallic arrowheads decorating the ground before him, their archer was obviously making further preparations. She was somewhat surprised when he suddenly glanced upwards beyond her eyesight and spoke up "You're improving your accuracy, Kimahri. Take another shot."

Suddenly discovering an unnatural curiosity over the happenings before her, the sorceress casually stepped around the humble houses to sight the bestial guardian aiming down the street to the village's wooden wall. Those powerful muscles were currently bulging with physical strength, struggling to contain the composite longbow grasped between those clawed hands. Another moment passed before the bowstring was released, scrapping across the beastman's calloused fingertips and sending an oversized arrow rocketing toward the wall. The wooden shaft could be heard splintering upon impact, the metallic arrowhead becoming deeply embedded by the incredible force behind it. The bestial guardian grumbled incoherently before glancing toward their surprised companion, before plucking another arrow and resuming the exercise.

"The temple priest actually agreed to surrender that strongbow?" Lulu questioned the younger guardian, realizing that their archer had been tutoring their bestial companion. Anybody would have recognized the metallic longbow which had appeared in the village temple around two decades earlier, apparently abandoned by some random traveler. The greater measurements of the oversized weapon would have seemed impossible to the average warrior, but the powerful longbow seemed appropriate in the claws of the bestial guardian.

"The Crusaders have been receiving several reports concerning the migration patterns of the northern monsters, the mainland's wilderness has becoming increasingly dangerous over the last several months. Kimahri suggested that the temple's strongbow would be useful against some of the more powerful creatures we might encounter between settlements and temples." Velkan then gestured towards Kimahri as another arrow cut between the houses and struck the wooden wall around one foot from the last one "The temple priest offered no argument about surrendering the longbow, but if there is another guardian running around that can effectively control three hundred pounds of bowstring resistance, I'd appreciate you pointing him out."

"Point taken." Lulu shrugged before seating herself, the bestial guardian continued practicing, but both the younger guardian and the summoner had immediately noticed her current disposition. Several moments passed without anything spoken between them, the sorceress eventually leaned forward and breathed heavily "Their resemblance has become most unsettling, especially considering the amount of attention that Wakka has been showing our ignorant guest."

"You're overanalyzing things, Lulu." Velkan breathed with an understanding sympathy, glancing from his unfinished arrows to the depressed sorceress "I'm doubtful that anything would have happened differently if that castaway hadn't looked anything like his little brother, the slight resemblance wouldn't have been enough to convince me otherwise."

"Don't pretend to be ignorant, Velkan." Lulu responded almost immediately, coming across almost more threatening than intended "The villagers have been going on most of the evening about that heretic substituting Chappu's former position and the Besaid Aurochs suddenly becoming inspired is much too familiar for my own personal comfort."

"I believe that Yevon might be testing us, Lulu." Yuna whispered before closing her book, glancing towards her surrogate sister with those gentle gemstones sparkling with the silver moonlight "I've noticed another resemblance and several similarities between our castaway and another blitzball player throughout this evening. However, I haven't seen anything which could resemble anybody from the islands."

"What do you mean?" Lulu questioned in that moment, completely shocked that the summoner couldn't have recognized the physical resemblance or similar characteristics after almost nine years of living alongside the two brothers. The summoner remained silent in standing and motioning toward the bestial guardian. The cerulean-furred creature nodded before gathering the strongbow and remaining arrows and following the young summoner toward her own dwelling. She glanced backwards from the doorway before nodding softly toward her confused bodyguards.

"The circumstances are rather complicated." Yuna explained "I'll explain tomorrow morning. Good night."

"Alright." Lulu surrendered "Good night, Yuna."

"Sleep well, summoner." Velkan echoed.

"Same to yourselves." Yuna whispered before vanishing behind the curtains, snuffing out the nearby lantern several moments later and doubtlessly crawling under her own sheets. The bestial guardian checked himself before dropping into a seated position outside the humble dwelling, the strongbow leaning against the nearby crates and his battlespear grasped between his powerful hands. Several moments passed before the insightful archer stood and glanced toward the emotional sorcerous, she glanced back toward the world-weary teenager.

"I know you're instincts would disagree, but you shouldn't avoid our guest because of circumstances which cannot possibly be controlled and you certainly shouldn't punish Wakka because of such things." Velkan casually gathered his own belongings before looking toward his own nomadic dwelling, which existed around twenty yards from his current position. He breathed before continuing "You should attempt to understand him, identifying the greater differences will doubtlessly stand against whatever subtle similarities exist between them."

"Alright, I suppose I can tolerate his presence for the time being." Lulu surrendered, raising one finger for emphasis "But don't go about explaining anything to him. I've suffered enough suggestions and sympathy from the villagers without some random stranger becoming interested in my personal problems."

"You have my word." Velkan promised before glancing toward the silver witness which decorated the horizon. The young archer gathered his unfinished arrows before standing and approaching his own humble dwelling. He stepped through the doorway before glancing back to the concerned sorceress "See you in the morning. Good night, Lulu."

"Yeah. Good night, Velkan." Lulu breathed before slowly removing herself from the immediate area, heading toward her own nearby dwelling which seemed much less colorful than the surrounding homes. The young archer watched as she vanished behind those simple colorless fabrics, taking notice of how one hand casually brushed across one cheek. The glowing lantern was eventually snuffed and the fractured woman laid down to take her slumber, wordlessly pleading that her unconsciousness wouldn't bring about those same painful memories. While they might have brought Lulu and Wakka against one another, those memories brought different suffering to those lonely souls. Even following twelve months, the circumstances brought another manner of discomfort upon the fledgling guardian.

Velkan glanced towards the small campfire which had been started amongst the summoner's dwelling and her guardians adjacent homes. An unquenchable inferno of steadfast determination burned within his heart in that moment and an ancient memory became dominant within his mind. While his numerous experiences never involved the summoner's pilgrimage, the archer had suffered the darkness that festered beneath the surface of their distressed world. These painful experiences had constructed an emotionless and untrusting individual who found himself mindlessly following the ocean currents and passing breezes. Without ever bearing the slightest consideration for himself or anybody else, there is little question that such an individual would have survived on his own long enough to see tomorrow's sunrise.

Everything started changing almost three years earlier when his aimless wanderings had brought him into contact with the high summoner's daughter and her bestial guardian. Their unexpected discovery of the unconscious teenager near the northern moonflow brought about that characteristic compassion within the summoner. Velkan was most confused by her treatment of his various injuries and eventually found himself following the apprentice summoner and the bestial guardian, following some manner of cautious trust. He eventually found himself back in her hometown and surrounded by the wonderful villagers whom resided upon the small island, all welcoming the tragic youth's presence. Abandoning the loneliness and depression which spawned from an unfortunate childhood, the young archer welcomed the friendship of the apprentice summoner and her sworn guardians. Velkan would eventually become one himself almost eighteen months later, following an extensive training regiment and exceptional display of his polished capabilities.

The temple summoner became some manner of father figure to the misguided youth and became his teacher in several lessons beyond the ancient scriptures, essentially creating an honorable adventurer from the wretched vagabond. Yuna, an apprentice summoner at the time, became his best friend and somebody that would inspire the youngblood to evolve beyond his suffering. Lulu became something akin to an older sister and allowed to youngblood to release his deepest darkness, intently absorbing his suffering whilst offering her shoulder. Wakka and Chappu became two of his next closest friends, usually joining in their lesser adventures and trouble-making, although blitzball somehow managed to escape his interest. Kimahri was something different despite their neutral relationship with one another, although the bestial guardian hadn't spoken much more than one hundred words to the younger, there was an apparent trust established through their several morning hunts.

Velkan became determined before turning into his dwelling and extinguishing his own lantern. Besaid Village might have become his hometown, but the summoner and her guardians had become his surrogate family. These wondrous people had offered salvation from his own perpetual darkness and brought him back into the light, never expecting anything in return. The summoner and her guardians now ventured to rescue the world from their mutual tormentor and were willing to sacrifice themselves for that cause. The archer wordlessly swore that so long that breath remained flowing through his lungs and blood coursed through his veins, he wouldn't surrender to any adversary that would dare to bring themselves against them.

Velkan then proceeded under his own sheets to await the next morning and the journey which awaited them...

END OF CHAPTER NINE

* * *

You've read, so please review.


	10. Chapter 10

Reviewer Appreciation:

Caellach Tiger Eye - You've outlined several points which I've actually planned to elaborate upon. I could understand having nothing during an unexpected journey, but I've never understood how something planned out could still have an absence of luggage. This chapter will elaborate upon that. There will be some significant distance between civilizations and occasional camping, considering that the summoner and guardians are basically wayfaring. I'm planning on going back and reworking some of the character speech, having recently managed to study some of the speech patterns. I'm aware that the characters have their own personalities and have prepared several events which will reflect that.

* * *

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Ten

It was sometime before daylight the next morning when Tidus suddenly found himself shaken awake, grumbling incoherently before discovering that it was Velkan standing at his bedside. The archer wordlessly demanded silence as he motioned to the slumbering soldiers and then pointed one thumb toward the doorway. The prodigy blitzer nodded before pulling himself from beneath the sheets and turning his attention toward his belongings, preparing and redressing himself as the fledgling guardian stepped form the lounge. Tidus casually took the time to adjust his shoes and ensure that his limited property was collected in his backpack. Suspecting that these travels would probably involve further confrontation, he reattached his armguard and the underlying black gloves before pursuing the younger guardian, stepping through the doorway and into the lingering moonlight.

The three guardians glanced towards the grumbling castaway as he stepped into view, the blitzball captain and the female guardian standing alongside their youngest member. The Besaid Aurochs were loitering nearby with several villagers who were monitoring the nearby guardians, apparently there was be several people leaving the island. Tidus found himself curious concerning the whereabouts of the summoner and the bestial guardian, but found his attention turned toward his newfound traveling companions. Everybody seemed to be carrying their own luggage for the journey, although everybody seemed to be traveling without much more than the barest necessities. Such knowledge informed the castaway that these travelers would probably be purchasing extra supplies and fresh clothing wherever they found such things. Their journey wasn't something which could have been planned out.

There was little surprise that Velkan was wearing his weaponry from the evening before, the longbow and quiver crossing over his shoulder blades while his shortsword and dagger were sheathed on his belt. He was carrying one simple shoulder bag, one traveling bag and some manner of leather-bound case was shoved into one of his exterior pockets. The female guardian, Lulu, remained dressed in the same unusual garment and shouldered her own traveling bags, which seemed more organized with exterior pockets. The young blitzer was somewhat surprised to see the woman completely unarmed, especially considering the younger guardian was prepared for almost anything, he decided to dismissed this in his approach. Wakka was carrying a much larger shoulder bag which was similar to those carried by his nearby teammates, nevermind the cloth sack which concealed their own blitzballs. The senior captain was loosely grasping some manner of longsword, although the precise details of the choice weapon couldn't be seen from the torches which surrounded the village.

"Hey! Wake to the morning, sleepyhead!" Wakka laughed, apparently having collected himself following their conversation the evening before, that characteristic cheerfulness having reappeared. Tidus yawned slightly in his approach, casually waving and preparing to sarcastically complain about the unwelcome awakening when the veteran blitzer suddenly spoke up. "I've brought something I wanna give you."

The groggy castaway found himself awestruck as the senior blitzer suddenly brought the concealed weapon forward into the dancing torchlight, revealing an incredibly beautiful longsword which would have been considered an artistic masterpiece around one thousand years earlier. Similar to his father's longsword, the dangerous weapon possessed the hooked design although the blade was longer and the strange protrusion seemed less exaggerated. Earlier impressions would have made one suspect that the weapon was constructed from some manner of cerulean crystal, although such construction wouldn't have provided effective durability. The castaway surrendered to his own ignorance, possessing not even the slightest thought as to what the translucent crystal longsword could have been forged from. The longsword's handguard seemed reminiscent of an ancient dragon's head, spewing forward the crystalline blade in righteous indignation, the neck shrinking into the leather wrapped grasp and ceremonial ribbons which dangled from the pommel. The young blitzer found himself growing nervous as he snatched the hilt.

"Whoa..." Tidus murmured, displaying much more astonishment than he would have wanted to. Grasping the hilt between his hands, he immediately noticed the surprising lightness and incredible balance of the beautiful blade. Feeling emboldened, he took one practice swing away from the crowd, dropping into some manner of loose dueling stance. Tidus casually lowered the weapon before recognizing some apparent concern crossing Velkan's features, something which warned him against not being suspicious of his fellow blitzer's reasons. Tidus hesitated slightly before speaking "Why are you giving this to me?"

"We'll, you were talking about needing one, but it became apparent that the Crusaders couldn't spare anything without charging some outrageous amount." Wakka shrugged before gesturing to the impressive weapon, which had apparently belonged to the senior blitzer "I've never possessed much talent with bladed weapons, despite several attempts to learn. I'm confident that it'd be better off slaying fiends in your possession than gathering dust in some corner."

"I really appreciate this, Wakka." Tidus murmured before turning the weapon and tracking down his reflection in the crystalline structure, attempting to remember his distant mentor's teachings regarding choice weapons. His chaotic situation naturally made retrieving memories somewhat difficult, but there was something about the wandering swordsman's lectures which couldn't have been forgotten. Should an honorable warrior would show their weapon the same respect they show themselves, their enemies encounter another presence while standing against them. The beautiful crystal longsword wasn't something destined to be handled, it was something beyond an average weapon and was waiting for someone to understand. Tidus took another breath before speaking "Do me an honor and serve as my witness, Wakka, this blade shall be my partner from this moment forward and shall endure in my challenges and share equally in the rewards."

Wakka was speechless for several moments before laughing jubilantly "Well, I'm convinced it couldn't find a better partner."

"I'm not." Lulu suddenly interjected, snapping those burgundy eyes toward the blade before turning back to her fellow guardian "I might be mistaken, but isn't that the same sword you gave Chappu."

The castaway's surprise became evident as he carefully lowered the crystal sword, his pleasant moment being replaced by unspoken frustration as the ominous woman's comment essentially shattered the senior blitzer's positive esteem. Several seconds passed with him seeking an answer, doubtlessly reflecting upon his younger brother. Wakka inevitably found himself limited to the honest truth "Tidus has expressed experience in wielding longswords, so I figured it would probably be better off in his hands. There wouldn't be anything to be gained by keeping it anyway, it isn't like Chappu ever bothered using it."

Looking down toward his sandals once more, Wakka obviously hadn't noticed how his depressing revelation impacted his dissatisfied companion. Lulu suddenly became melancholy as the knowledge washed across her mind, an expression of surprise and subsequent sadness crossing her features. Tidus found this rather suspicious, especially considering their earlier argument concerning Wakka's younger brother and Lulu's displeasure with the longsword's presence. Tidus decided against prying into their business, but it had become rather obvious that the shadowy woman was extremely disappointed with the slain brother in that instance. Several tension-laced moments passed before the blitzer decided to come to the rescue.

"Daylight will be coming soon..." the castaway suddenly announced, thankfully attracting the attention of the problematic guardians "Where's Yuna?"

"The temple summoner mentioned something about sending some additional supplies to our first destination." Velkan answered, apparently understanding the blitzball prodigy's schemes to return the other guardians to the immediate situation. This apparently worked as the other two guardians seemed surprised by the archer's announcement "I suppose those rumors of the other islands falling upon difficult seasons haven't been exaggerated."

"Yevon's name!" Wakka grumbled, slapping one hand against his forehead whilst the female guardian possessed an overall expression of disapproval "The old man should really know better than to expect us to make deliveries. The pilgrimage carries enough responsibilities without representing the island."

"Wakka." Tidus suddenly whispered, motioning the senior blitzer's attention toward the village temple where the subject of their conversation happened to be stepping down the decorative stairway. The radiant priestess was wearing the same decorative vestments from the evening bore, she also possessed her own traveling bag which she carefully balanced on her left shoulder. Tidus found himself relieved upon noticing how the awakened summoner had become revitalized overnight following the numerous challenges from earlier. Yuna didn't seem too concerned about this as she stepped forward with two unnamed villagers following behind, working together to carry an oversized traveling trunk which obviously connected to the prior conversation.

"You do know that hauling all that stuff's probably gonna slow us down, ya?" Wakka cautioned the awakened summoner in the manner an older brother might caution their younger sibling about doing their homework.

Tidus was surprised. The sheer closeness between the summoner and her guardians could almost be seen in how casually they acknowledged one another. These bodyguards were vastly superior to those stubborn imbeciles which had occasionally been forced upon his teammates because of their personal problems. These circumstances were different, these protectors would have gone thrown themselves before any adversary or obstacle to protect the summoner. It was incredible that such an unshakable determination could be derived from friendship. There was someone back in his world that once claimed that most people could have counted their greatest friendships on one hand. Tidus wouldn't have been one to disagree.

"There shouldn't be anything left after visiting Kilika." the young summoner announced as she motioned to the oversized trunk "The villagers there haven't been getting supplies because of the recent storms, we have more than enough and helping them out wouldn't be too much trouble."

"I suppose it wouldn't..." Wakka shrugged, mindlessly scratching his neck "Some of their villagers are gonna be returning home with us anyway, so they can handle getting the stuff to the temple."

"You're kinda rushing this, aren't you?" Tidus shrugged, stabbing the crystal sword into the ground before stretching out "It isn't even daylight yet."

"I'm not surprised that your memory doesn't recognize this tradition." Velkan chuckled from the sidelines before turning his attention toward the village gates, his features became serious and solemn in the next moment "The awakened summoners must leave before their next daybreak so that the morning sunlight can illuminate the destiny before them. This has become more generational practice than anything connected to tradition, but most summoners follow several examples which were set by Lord Braska."

"You're forgetting to mention that the ferry's captain has a schedule to keep." Lulu suddenly interjected, before stepping away from the group and moving toward the village gates. The others dropped their musings and followed the mysterious woman, apparently possessing greater seniority in the occupation than anyone else. The two acolytes carrying the massive trunk followed the female guardian's lead and mingled amongst blitzers who trailed behind the summoner's entourage. Tidus trailed behind Yuna and Velkan with his crystal sword pointed downward, figuring that the senior blitzer overlooked another method of carrying the beautiful weapon. Tidus became concerned upon passing through the village gates however, having finally remembered something which should have probably come up much sooner.

"Yuna." Tidus suddenly spoke up "Aren't you missing one of your guardians?"

"You don't need to worry." Yuna glanced back with that warm expression "He ventured ahead earlier this morning and should be meeting us at the boat."

"It's something we've come to expect from Kimahri." Velkan announced, although not looking back at the young blitzer as they proceeded down the beaten trail which lead from the village "Should there have been any fiends wandering the roads earlier this morning when Kimahri stepped outside, chances are they've either been slain or have retreated back into the shadows."

"I'll keep that in mind around him." the young blitzer murmured before the entourage became dominated by silence, their crunching footsteps against the beaten trail becoming their traveling theme. Tidus glanced over his shoulder as the earliest beams of sunlight became visible beyond the silhouette of the village temple, pushing against their backs and brightening the trail before them. The young blitzer reveled in the natural beauty for the slightest moment before pulling the crystal sword against one shoulder and proceeded in following. Tidus would have rather believed that everything would eventually come together, but he somehow understood that destiny wouldn't have placed him with these people without some purpose. He decided against attempting to unravel these designs and continued following the entourage in the same manner they followed the beaten trail.

Several minutes passed with constant movement, the summoner and her guardians following the beaten trail with some apparent urgency to cooperate with the boat captain's schedule. The young blitzer lagged behind the guardians and the blitzballers, trailing behind the majority of the group by several yards before noticing that everybody was stopping upon an impressive outcropping which overlooked the small village. Tidus immediately recognized this spot, having been standing there the morning before when the senior blitzer pointed out his hometown and shared the depressing history of the Besaid Aurochs. Tidus quickly moved forward and discovered everybody assembled before some manner of stone spire, which seemed to have been surrounded by several other stone fragments. The temple acolytes lowered the massive trunk long enough to kneel before the statue and perform the prayer gesture, followed by several silent moments of motionless meditation. He stepped forward as Wakka completed his own meditation and returned to his feet.

Tidus wordlessly observed the other guardians repeating the same gesture before dropping into their own dedicated trances of the deepest prayer. He followed the senior blitzer toward the strong ropes which lined the outcropping, ensuring himself to be outside earshot before speaking "What is everybody doing? Is there something special about this statue?"

"It's another ancient custom amongst the villagers here." Wakka explained, placing some empthases on the reason that the younger blitzer wouldn't have known about it unless he'd been raised on the island "Travelers leaving the village pray here for safe passage across the ocean. There isn't anything in the actual scriptures, but there shouldn't be much harm in following local traditions."

"Sounds reasonable." Tidus shrugged.

"The villagers have actually been bringing it up recently." Wakka's expression became downtrodden as he turned his attention toward the village and gripped the ropes "Chappu overslept that morning and was running behind schedule, the villager claim that he completely rushed by without praying and barely managed to arrive on time."

"It shouldn't have been their business." Velkan snapped from the sidelines before approaching the two blitzers "Your brother enlisted and committed himself to protect those that couldn't protect themselves and should be considered a hero before anything else. Don't you even consider anything those eavesdroppers and truth-twisters might be whispering."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Wakka nodded before stepping away from the security fence, his hands vanishing into his pockets before he shrugged and donned another upbeat expression "You never really know. He might have been rushing too much that morning to bother bidding the villagers farewell or picking up his equipment."

The younger blitzer watched as the entourage gathered themselves and proceeded back down the beaten trail, the young blitzer once again lagging behind with several thoughts passing through his mind. Tidus flexed his right wrist and sharply raised the inherited longsword to become adjacent with his face, an indistinct reflection of himself coming across the weapon's crystalline surface. Several stories doubtlessly revolved around this ancient weapon before coming into the possession of the brothers and promised several more stories under his newfound ownership. He breathed as he remembered another tradition amongst honorable swordsman which his distanced mentor had brought up several years earlier. An honorable swordsman would create an identity for their weapon and address their spiritual partner as such, offering their weapon the opportunity to build their own legacy which would doubtlessly survive beyond those of their various owners. Auron claimed that several months passed before he created an appropriate name for his own weapon, but the young blitzer needed that moment and the limited history of the weapon to recognize the perfect name.

"Brotherhood..." Tidus whispered before lowering the blade and following the group.

Unable to ignore the prominent sense of displacement which surrounded the situation, the sun-kissed prodigy continued lagging behind the majority of the summoner's entourage. There seemed to be no conversation exchanged between the mismatched members and their attention seemed to have been shifted in the last several moments. Tidus remembered the beautiful waterfalls from his earlier journey with Wakka and was somewhat surprised that nobody else seemed to be giving them the slightest passing glance. His suspicions became stronger when Lulu shifted positions and whispered something to Yuna, her form and movements becoming tense almost immediately. Tidus impulsively approached the nearest group member, the young archer who occupied himself with scanning the adjacent mountainside. He attempted to remain subtle as he asked the simple question "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"We're being followed." Velkan whispered, motioning one emerald pupil toward the cliffside as something shifted and sent several pebble bouncing down onto the beaten trail. Tidus grumbled as he twisted his fingers around the longsword's decorative wrappings, the young archer having his own choice weapon prepared. The archer carefully locked the arrow against the bowstring, never deviating from his explanation "Something has been trailing us since our exchange at the statue, probably something attempting to take advantage of the Crusader's sudden absence."

Tidus turned back toward the remainder of the group, quickly noticing that everybody was preparing themselves for what had been overlooked by the displaced prodigy. The summoner's staff which had been seen the evening before had reappeared in Yuna's delicate hands, the golden emblem hovering over the dusty ground. Wakka was grasping his personal blitzball quite tightly in that moment, his auburn eyes glancing over his shoulder every couple of seconds. The ominous guardian wasn't armed, but she had become shrouded in an unnatural energy which seemed even more intimidating than her unnerving attitude. The unexplained absence of the bestial guardian made the situation seem even more hopeless, his curiosity brought him to another question. "What exactly is following us?"

"The wretched coward has been keeping to the mountainside. But it would appear..." Velkan found himself interrupted as several boulders dropped from the mountainside and touched down several meters behind them. The summoner's entourage and their fellow travelers snapped to attention as something suddenly soared away from the mountainside, becoming an imposing silhouette against the morning skyline. The crystal longsword became frozen in the prodigy blitzer's hand as the massive avian turned back toward them and touched down before them after a short flight. Velkan almost seemed unimpressed as he motioned for their unarmed company to move away from the massive creature whose attention was obviously focused upon their entourage. "The would-be scourge of the southern skies, meet the Garuda."

"Things just keep getting better and better." Tidus huffed in response, swiping his shimmering blade through the air as the villagers and blitzballers moved behind the summoner and her guardians. The massive avian was doubtlessly the largest monster the amateur swordsman had come against, but somehow stood his ground against the vicious carnivore. The moment became dominated by the stillness of the summoner and her guardians, the winged fiend observing them before suddenly crowing loudly. The nervous stillness was shattered in the next moment as Wakka made his move. The official blitzball he'd been holding under one arm dropped to the ground an caught the mammoth bird's attention, just moments before the blitzball captain sent the sphere rocketing toward it.

Anybody would have possessed doubts about using an everyday blitzball as an offensive weapon, but there was clearly something to be discovered about his comrade's fighting techniques. The Garuda roared in obvious frustration as the blitzball struck it's sensitive throat, the sound of the powerful impact echoing into the distance. Tidus swallowed in that moment, beginning to understand that such pinpoint accuracy and vicious strength could cause some serious damage when applied correctly. Tidus snapped from his trance was Velkan slapped him on the shoulder and pointed, the winged monster was dazed and totally vulnerable to melee attacks. "We can't do everything for you, newcomer."

"No problem!" Tidus announced with natural dedication, exhibiting swiftness in rushing forward through the ranks of the summoner's entourage and taking one powerful overhead swipe. The monster groaned as the crystal blade was stained with crimson and an unsightly gash became prevalent around the left side of its neck. The single reason that it managed to continue breathing was the extremely thick cushion of strong feathers which protected the creature's more important arteries. The monstrous avian growled before lunging toward the inexperienced swordsman, meeting those fearless cerulean eyes right before moving. The guardians never had the opportunity to shout out for the newcomer to retreat, probably because it would have come across as being unnecessary. However, the Garuda was most surprised when nothing was caught between its bladed jaws and another piercing pain suddenly ripped through its lower body.

Tidus shouted with understandable frustration, stabbing the crystal blade upwards into the monstrous avian's abdomen before viciously removing the stained longsword. The Garuda was becoming angry as the amateur swordsman began retreating, heading in the opposite direction of the entourage in the attempt to surround the winged beast. Those powerful talons raised from the ground in the attempt to counteract this strategy, but nothing came about as two arrows were sent one after another into the winged avian's neck. The dumbfounded monster stumbled as Tidus managed to move away, twisting around to witness the bloody crimson staining the monster's ruffled feathers. Velkan and Wakka were prepared with their weapons, but lowered them upon realizing that the massive creature's movements became even weaker fortelling an inevitable demise. The summoner breathed before stepping forward, obviously prepared to continue their journey.

Everybody from the summoner's entourage to the surrounding company was surprised when the monster suddenly rose up and jumped from the waterfalls, barely managing to soar back into the early morning distance. Velkan cursed under his breath before lowering his longbow, becoming confronted with the natural limits of his abilities. "Escaped. Damn it."

"Not from me." Tidus glanced toward the ominous female guardian as she suddenly stepped forward, having stood alongside the summoner whilst the initial battle was happening. The strange woman gathered herself and brought her hands together, the mysterious energy which surrounding her becoming thicker in the next moment. Lulu ignored the various whispers from their surrounding company as the Garuda turned around and began soaring back toward the small island's single mountain. Tidus understood that the monster couldn't have been allowed to survive, it would have inevitably healed from those grievous injuries and returned to preying upon the villagers. The castaway possessed no sympathy for the winged carnavore, but couldn't have imagined how the ominous and unfriendly Lulu was prepared to do about it.

"You're not welcome here! FIRA!" the ominous woman shouted before thrusting one hand forward. The mysterious energy seemed to become most noticeable in that moment and most could have sworn that the oxygen became heavier. Then something completely unexpected happened, the precise instant that the woman shouted the second syllable of that unfamiliar command. The massive creature screamed in screeching agony and then there was an infernal explosion which consumed the soaring monster in a blanket of crackling flames. The guardians seemed nonchalant in those moments, but the blitzballers and villagers watched as the monster soared through the air and slammed into the mountainside.

While everybody else seemed to be impressed with the ominous woman's frightening abilities, Tidus found himself awestruck. While everybody else generally accepted what had just happened, the prodigy blitzer found himself confronted with another fantastic phenomenon for which he possessed no reasonable explanation. Anybody would have been wondering how the female guardian could have gone completely unarmed, but it seemed that these supernatural talents could stand alone against most any opponent. There was something else which captured his attention despite these gruesome happenings. He once again discovered himself confused by the presence of those same iridescent lights, which mournfully drifted from the smoldering remains and slowly glinted into nothingness. These were questions which needed to be answered, but in the same moment seemed too natural to have possibly been forgotten due to his supposed illness. He found himself prepared to take that chance.

"What in the world was that?!" Tidus gasped.

"I actually figured that you'd be surprised by that one." Wakka chuckled as he approached, his blitzball having returned to his armpit and his luggage having been hoisted back onto his broad shoulders. The female guardian slowly crossed her arms as the amateur swordsman looked toward her for explanation, she seemed hesitant about discussing such things. Having already witnessed her suspicious or possibly even negative disposition toward him, the newcomer was thankful when someone else responded to his question.

"That was Black Magic." everyone's attention shifted as the summoner approached the small group, her scriptural intelligence become reflected in her explanation of her guardian's frightening powers. "It is one of the common disciplines of magic taught to those found to possess greater amounts of spiritual energy, allowing them to take full advantage of the techniques. The discipline revolves around elemental destruction, but encompasses several other offensive incantations. Having witnessed her participate in several magical exhibitions, I'm convinced that Lulu could stand amongst some of the world's finest practitioners."

"You're embarrassing me, Yuna." Lulu grumbled, apparently uncomfortable with standing in the spotlight. Tidus simply nodded in response, awestruck by the textbook explanation the beautiful summoner had responded with. Tidus thought about inquiring more about these other magical disciplines, but decided that he'd probably asked enough annoying questions for the moment. The summoner and her three guardians stood there for several more moments, watching those smoldering remains as the temple acolytes moved around them and down the beaten path. The black mage breathed before speaking once more. "We should be moving along, we've already wasted enough time."

Following the ominous spellbinder's lead, the remaining guardians checked themselves to ensure that nothing had been lost during the battle and then continued their journey. Yuna might have been the most important person amongst them, but it had become apparent that the black mage possessed certain leadership qualities which the others might have lacked. Tidus couldn't have professed any knowledge concerning the guardians, but there was something about how she carried herself that suggested superior experience. Tidus thought nothing of this as he lagged behind the group, removing a loose cloth from his backpack and obsessively scrubbing the bloody crimson from the Brotherhood's crystal surface.

Another hour brought them to the isolated beach where the castaway had washed up the morning before, the remainder of their journey having passed without the slightest incident. The small island's harbor had become much more noticeable, the passenger ferry seeming monumental in comparison to the smaller fishing vessels belonging to the islanders. The summoner's entourage stepped from the woodlands and found themselves greeted by several villagers who seemed to have been awaiting their arrival. There were several islanders from the night before, some of them monitoring their energetic children and others supporting their beloved elders. The temple summoner could be seen standing amongst them with several acolytes supporting members of the crowd that seemed to be overwhelmed with emotion. The castaway glanced toward the beach, casually reflecting upon the strange circumstances which had brought him there before moving forward.

The summoner and her guardians continued toward the docked boat, maintaining their casual ambiance as several villagers walked alongside them and the invigorated blitzballers which trailed behind. The village children seemed to surround Yuna, while their parents consistently expressed their gratitude to the sworn guardians that would be protecting her. Their expected arrival at the harbor was greeted by several of the sailors flashing casual salutes and departing passengers seeming shocked that she was leaving. Tidus recognized several of the crusaders standing onboard, specifically Luzzu and Gatta watching everything from the elevated platform which existed above the bridge. The temple summoner approaching them before they could approach the boarding platform, the kindhearted preacher stepping forward and offering his blessings to both the summoner and her guardians. Tidus eavesdropped on the earlier words, but his attention became divided when something suddenly came to stand alongside him, something which completely shadowed him.

The nervous castaway was somehow surprised when the bestial guardian decided to approach, having somehow remained unseen amongst the several islanders which crowded the shoreline. The mammoth creature's frightening physique seemed even more intimidating in that moment, the bestial guardian's handcrafted hunting spear almost seeming unnecessary. There seemed to be another weapon crossing one shoulder, an oversized strongbow which wouldn't have seemed reasonable in the possession of anybody else. Although the massive creature couldn't be seen wearing much more than his battle raiment and tribal pendant, he was effortlessly shouldering his own heavy luggage. It was doubtlessly the largest traveling bag between them, crafted from sturdy leather and featuring extremely durable craftsmanship which would survive most anything. Having spent their mostly uneventful journey going on about what would be needed, their largest guardian was doubtlessly handling the camping supplies which would be necessary between civilizations.

The inexperienced swordsman swallowed slightly as the bestial guardian regarded him with those ominous golden eyes, turning his attention between the unusual castaway and the crystal longsword he loosely grasped. Anybody would have naturally assumed that the towering bodyguard possessed some knowledge of the younger brother and found himself being starred down once more. However, there something present in furry creature's intense gaze which wouldn't have been found in the negative spellbinder's chilling glares. The revelation struck Tidus almost immediately. The seasoned hunter was making his own assumptions and estimations regarding the smaller being, mentally passing judgment upon everything that was outstanding in that heartstopping moment. Tidus remained motionless and continued looking back, even as the massive guardian ceased their encounter and walked toward the boarding ramp.

"That would be Kimahri Ronso." Velkan murmured from the sidelines, slapping one hand down on the blitzer's shoulder and snapping him from another bewildered trance. "You probably shouldn't expect much more of an introduction."

"Not the most subtle character, huh?" Tidus shrugged, although remaining visibly shaken by the intense glaring which seemed to have burned into the deepest recesses of his soul. He could have been compared himself to some easy reading in that moment, some small book which had been snatched up, skimmed over and quickly replaced. He looked toward the remaining guardians which were standing on the edge of the docks, those cerulean gemstones begging for answers "Was that staring supposed to mean something?"

"Kimahri's tribesmen are considered to be the world's greatest natural hunters." Lulu explained as the bestial guardian followed the smaller summoner up the boarding ramp, crossing his arms and standing alongside her as she leaned against the railing. The gothic woman turned back toward the shaken blitzer. "Having spent countless generations in the savage wilderness, their numbers have come to possess another sense which cannot be found amongst humans. These hunting instincts allow them to recognized and understand subtle pieces of information which would be completely overlooked by humans. He wouldn't know anything about you, so he was probably ensuring that there was nothing to be suspicious about."

"Should I be concerned...?" Tidus swallowed.

"I wouldn't worry much about it." Velkan shrugged "Kimahri never really talks about himself and understanding him has become a meaningless effort. I'm confident that you've garnered his approval however, you wouldn't be standing there if his soul-searching came across anything malevolent."

"Hm." Tidus displayed some displeasure with the implication, but mentally counted his blessings as the towering guardian scanned the surroundings for potential threats. The summoner seemed perfectly content in his presence, casually waving to the villagers and enjoying the radiant ambiance of the morning sun. Tidus obviously didn't possess those hunting instincts, but there was no missing that unwavering dedication which seemed to surround the massive guardian. The azure-furred creature would have thoughtless given anything to protect the smaller human, but there was something else there that went beyond simple friendship. "Has he always been so protective?"

"Kimahri and Yuna have been together longer than anyone can remember." Wakka explained, leaning against one of the support beams as the acolytes passed the oversized traveling trunk to some of the departing islanders. The senior blitzer positioned himself around the support beam before smiling with newfound jubilance "Me and Chappu, we were standing right here after practice one afternoon when the ferry arrived carrying both of them. We were younger then and most of us had never seen one of his kind before, but nobody could believe that the high summoner's daughter would have come seeking training in the southern islands."

Tidus could have imagined the amount of loyalty which must have developed between them, although one couldn't really compare the bestial guardian to his mysterious mentor. Wakka breathed before grabbing his luggage and approaching the ferry, following Lulu as she maneuvered around some of the other passengers and joined Yuna. Velkan walked alongside Tidus, his empathy to the situation suggesting that the young archer had been standing under those golden eyes sometime before. He imagined that the same could have probably been said of the black mage, she couldn't have possibly come from that tropical paradise. He wouldn't bother asking however, knowing that there were several barriers that needed to be broken before she would even glance toward him without becoming angry.

Several minutes passed before everyone was onboard and the ferry began departing, the summoner and her guardians gathered around the starboard railings as the villagers waved. The talented castaway remained on the sidelines as the villagers waved and performed that same ominous prayer gesture, occasionally shouting their blessings of good fortune. The guardians followed as the summoner approached the rear of the ship, passing the young prodigy and the small island's pumped blitzers. The bestial guardian remained alongside her as she performed her own prayer gesture toward the people, whispering upon the passing breeze as the ferry became smaller upon the horizon.

"Goodbye."

END OF CHAPTER TEN

* * *

Author's Note: There were several aspects about this chapter which proved to be extremely difficult, specifically everything revolving around Kimahri's reworked appearance on the beach. I've never understood why Kimahri attacks Tidus in the game, so I replaced that conflict with the Garuda. I thought about having Kimahri appear there, but really wanted to give something greater to explaining magic. I'm going to continue elaborating upon the unique relationship between Yuna and Kimahri, but I'm beginning to see it's similarities to the master/apprentice connection between Tidus and Auron. I'm crafting some backstory on how Lulu and Yuna came across one another, considering that she couldn't possibly be from the islands with her complexion and speech patterns. The Brotherhood is going to be receiving some major development as some manner of legendary weapon and before anybody begins screaming about there being no explained method of carrying the damned thing, know that there will be an interesting solution in the next chapter. One that will explain how characters in the final fantasy universe somehow remove weaponry from out of nowhere. Anybody having any

You've read, so please review.


	11. Chapter 11

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Eleven

Geosgaeno - The Geosgaeno is an extremely rare creature which almost never approaches human civilization, however is recognized as an ageless scourge amongst sailors transporting supplies. The Geosgaeno can be immediately recognized by its prominent exoskeleton, several tentacles around it's abdomen and the powerful arms which can punch through almost anything. The creature's stomach creates an impervious cage which slowly consumes whatever has been trapped within, the lingering remains usually visible whenever the creature surfaces. The Geosgaeno cannot be appeased through sacrificing supplies however, the monster merely becomes more destructive and murderous. Anybody encountering the Geosgaeno should make for the nearest harbor or make an attempt to harpoon the wretched monster, under no circumstances should anybody approach one of these monstrous creatures.

Tidus Ashtear grumbled before lowering the convenient hardback he'd borrowed from the temple. The featured rendition of the omnivorous creature seemed to be missing several important factors, suggesting that there probably weren't many survivors running around. The simple memory of that monstrous creature chasing him through those submerged ruins sent chills through his bones, the thought of actually being swallowed not resting well with him. A couple seconds passed before he kicked himself from the cotton stuffed mattress and began stretching, unwilling to suffer another nightmare before reaching their destination. He casually dropped the pocketbook into his backpack before stuffing it back under his assigned bunk, feeling no pressure to be carrying his luggage around.

Their peaceful voyage would apparently be ending sometime that afternoon, where several of the passengers would be returning home and the summoner's entourage would be continuing with their pilgrimage. There hadn't been much happening following their departure from the small island, most of the passengers simply attempting to pass time during the mostly uneventful voyage. Besides reporting to the onboard dining room whenever dinner rolled around, the displaced castaway had been spending his time below decks reading through the borrowed literature. He'd been bunking with several of his fellow blitzers the evening before, but following almost two hours of complete isolation that morning, the thought of stepping back into the sunlight became much more appealing.

There weren't many people loitering in the common area between the steerage cabins, the benches and the tables having been mostly abandoned since the evening before. Three elderly passengers were playing some manner of board game in the corner of the common area, apparently deciding against the sunlight. There were some crusaders stationed outside the cargo holds, apparently safeguarding some important equipment which was being transported to the mainland. Their attention snapped toward the strangely-dressed passenger as he stepped from the corridor, but dropped possible suspicions upon noticing that the crystal longsword was pointed toward the ground. Tidus considered heading to the galley before heading topside, but found his attention grabbed by another presence.

"Ahhh, them's fascinatin' clothes you're wearing!" an invasive voice announced before somebody suddenly appeared from around the corner and approached him. Tidus soon found himself being analyzed by an odd-looking gentleman who hoisted an overstuffed backpack. The shorter man stepped around him, absorbing the appearance of his unique attire which shouldn't have really been worn outside the sphere pool. The nervous blitzer became even more uncomfortable when the round man reached out the practically molested the nonporous material of his uniform. However, he became much less obsessive once the blitzer stepped backwards and looked toward the castaway with astonishment "Where did you acquire such garments? "

"You've got some nerve asking such questions!" Tidus snapped, absently brushing his hand down the material.

"I shouldn't concern myself. Such material wouldn't sell anyway." the critical stranger shrugged, never even acknowledging the blonde blitzer's response "

"Pardon me, but who are you to be buying the clothes off someone's back?" Tidus growled, having never taken well be being ignored.

"Oaka the XXIII, merchant extraordinaire." the critical salesman announced before pacing around the young blitzer, effectively creating an atmosphere "While other merchants waste away behind their counters, I'm having my adventures in this wondrous world of ours. While my competition is trapped with the same sweetbreads, I'm out buying and selling treasures which would never be found on their shelves. While their businesses remain repetitive and boring, my inventory is constantly changing and my adventurers remain unpredictable. Do you understand?"

"I'm really not sure." Tidus shrugged, remaining impassive despite the dramatic speech "But what does that have to do with my clothes?"

"You never know what somebody might be carrying without ever knowing its real value." the merchant stated before pointing toward the waterproof material of his uniform, several elements of the overall design becoming much more noticeable after one thousand years. "I've never encountered such material before and thought I might have uncovered something extraordinary, but I'm somehow doubtful that somebody would want to purchase another man's clothes. No offense."

"None taken." Tidus shrugged "You should go bother somebody else, I can't afford to buy anything."

"Don't worry. Despite this backpack, I understand traveling light." the merchant then paused and raised one finger, dragging attention to the next statement as he glanced over the young blitzer's sparkling jewelry "I'm wondering however, perhaps you're carrying something that you might want to sell me? I'm an authorized appraiser and we can negotiate right away."

The salesman bringing up the subject of money struck the blitzer with another realization that he should have recognized so much earlier. Having been treated to everyone's generosity throughout his several tribulations, he'd somehow forgotten that he was completely penniless and began considering the opportunity.

The merchant's attention would have been drawn to the crystal longsword or the platinum pendant, but there wasn't anything which would have justified surrendering either of the precious keepsakes. He thought about the tribal bangle and charm bracelet which looped around his armguard, but each carried an empathetic attachment which exceeded their monetary value. He somehow doubted that several of the simple articles from his backpack would have impressed the merchant and some seemed too useful to surrender. Tidus thought about the platinum signet ring which looped around his right finger, bearing an ominous emblem which originated from several generations back into his mother's bloodline. There seemed to be nothing that he could have lived with surrendering, but then he remembered that there was something he'd completely forgotten, something which begged to be abandoned.

Tidus quickly retrieved the small object resting in his vest pocket, dropped there moments before that accursed memorial tournament which continued while the northern metropolis collapsed. The weight of the oversized emblem became familiar, having never bothered wearing the oversized paperweight. The sight of those meaningless gemstones decorating the golden surface made his stomach twist uncomfortably. There was nothing glamorous about this bejeweled circlet, it had essentially become the physical manifestation of the arrogant foolishness which ruined the championship. It wasn't the championship ring. It was the significantly less beautiful version given to those that reached the championship but failed to grasp victory. His attention seemed to float around the common area as the merchant analyzed the gemstones, never knowing that the younger man would have taken anything. His manager wasn't around to scream at him about selling it.

"These gemstones are definitely worth something and the overall condition has next to no degradation. You've really come across something mighty fine, lad." O'aka considered the outrageous emblem for several moments before glancing back toward him "I'm not even gonna bother haggling with you over something like this. How about 2,500?"

"That sounds perfect." Tidus accepted, remaining blissfully ignorant regarding his complete lack of knowledge concerning the strange world's currency. The merchant pocketed the wretched object and counted out several pieces of gold and silver, depositing them into another small pouch and handing it to the younger man. Tidus casually glanced into the pouch before dropping it into one of his pockets, carefully drawing the zipper shut to protect his acquired cash from pickpockets. The merchant stretched slightly before standing and heading topside. The ring would probably be melted down for the gemstones, but Tidus found himself freed from another unwanted aspect of his background. He lingered a moment longer before following the tubby merchant.

The yawning castaway found himself rejuvenated as he stepped out into the warmth of the morning sunshine, the pleasant scents of the surrounding ocean being carried on the passing breeze. There was much more activity topside than one would have found below decks and most everybody onboard was doing something besides the crusaders. The summoner could be seen standing around the front of the vessel, skillfully juggling the conversations and compliments of the passengers who surrounded her. Her sworn guardians were loitering around the vessel, although her bestial bodyguard remained standing in her shadow casting critical glances at everybody that approached. Several of the island's blitzers were going through some of their standard practice drills, although anything involving the ball became much more difficult onboard.

"You've really gotta stop sleeping in!" Wakka chuckled as he approached the younger blitzer, gesturing him back to the shade where Velkan and Lulu were both observing the gawking crowd. The archer nodded toward him between checking his arrows, ensuring that the arrowheads were secured and evaluating the straightness of each wooden shaft. The black mage occupied herself with her own hardbacked pocketbook, several ominous symbols suggesting an association with her destructive spellcraft. The amateur swordsman casually dropped into one of the nearby benches. He was quite surprised when the blitzball captain suddenly approached and tossed something to him, one gloved hand catching it before it could strike the deck. The senior blitzer just shrugged before leaning against the support beam.

The sunlight reflected off the surface of the elaborate silver bracelet, several ominous emblems and patterns carving through the unfamiliar material and crafting an unusual masterpiece. The blitzball captain gestured before the younger man could have possibly questioned what he was supposed to do, bluntly indicating his unoccupied wrist. Tidus hesitated slightly before slipping the oversized bracelet onto his right wrist, jumping from the bench as the bangle suddenly began shrinking. The adrenaline stopped pumping as the silver bracelet came to mold perfectly around his wrist, an ominous brilliance pulsating through the runes with a heartbeat's consistency.

"Would you mind explaining this one?!" Tidus growled as he stepped towards Wakka, who seemed to be amused by the young blitzer's panicked reaction to the unusual situation. The other two guardians acknowledged the situation, but allowed their attention to return to their present concerns.

"How about picking up your sword? Trust me." Wakka chuckled knowingly, gesturing toward the crystal longsword and outright laughing as the amateur swordsman lashed out and snatched his weapon. Tidus was shocked when the wrapped handle suddenly vanished from between his fingers, blinking into nothingness without explanation. His undivided attention was soon drawn back to the bracelet, those arcane runes now glowing with an auspicious sapphire brilliance against the silver surface. The awestruck castaway turned back to the senior blitzer, another gesture resembling someone drawing their sword. Tidus experimentally stretched out his hand and collected himself before attempting to imagine the crystal longsword returning to his grasp. He was most surprised when another instance of blinding light returned the deadly blade into his possession, the blitzball captain laughing and clapping "Ha-ha! About time! I was hoping that you'd ask about the sheath earlier."

"Incredible." Tidus whispered, allowing the crystal longsword to vanish once more while watching in sustained disbelief. The guardian maintained silence as he summoned and dismissed the weapon several more times, eventually dismissing it and looking toward the glowing bracelet. "Where did you get this thing?"

"These bracelets aren't the easiest things to come across." Lulu responded, peeling back one sleeve to expose an obsidian one which wrapped around her own slender wrist, her own runes pulsing with a vermillion light. Those haunting burgundy eyes reflected her extensive knowledge as she spoke. "They were originally designed to encompass magical weaponry and equipment which might have attracted cutthroats and pickpockets, but make excellent sheaths for some of the more cumbersome weapons out there."

"Yuna's wearing one too." their archer murmured as he inspected his weaponry, none of which appeared to possess even the slightest amount of magical energies. There certainly wasn't anything mystical about Kimahri's hunting spear, the sturdy stave and bladed steel serving the purposes of the intimidating guardian. The swordsman had also seen a black band of similar design looping around the female guardian's slender wrist. Having grown accustomed to her mysterious nature, he realized there was really no telling what would serve as the ominous woman's chosen weapon.

"That actually reminds me, we haven't even told you where we're going." Wakka suddenly announced, crossing those broad arms before nodding toward the northern horizon. The burning brilliance of the midday sun caught his attention, reflected upon the waters of the southern ocean. "We'll be arriving at Kilika Island sometime this afternoon, everyone's gonna rest up tonight and tomorrow morning we'll be visiting the local temple. Yuna's gotta offer her prayers at every temple, it's the most important part of the pilgrimage. Once we've finished there, we'll be changing boats and be heading for the blitzball tournament in Luca."

"You'll be praying to Lord Ohalland, Wakka?" Lulu asked.

"Lord Ohalland?" Tidus echoed.

"Yeah." Wakka shrugged "Lord Ohalland was once the coach and captain for the Kilika Beast. He might be known throughout the world as the third summoner to have defeated Sin, but he was one of the greatest blitzers during his younger years. We pray that he would guide our feet and offer good fortune to those whose hearts truly embody the game."

"Sound pretty intense. I'll be sure to come along." the younger blitzer shrugged before glancing back to the forward deck of the vessel, seeing that the crowd around their awakened summoner had grown. While there couldn't have been many people onboard, the majority of the passengers had surrounded Yuna with their numerous questions, compliments and concerns. Her cheerful disposition could be seen over the distance as she somehow managed to speak to the strangers that had gathered around her. "Or should we all summoners getting mobbed like that?"

"Most people possess great respect for the summoners and their guardians. Because of their importance, most summoners are accustomed to being approached by complete strangers." Velkan explained, casually screwing another arrowhead onto a prepared wooden shaft before dropping it into his quiver. His emerald gaze moved toward his surrogate sister for several moments before shrugging and turning his attention back to his arrows. "However, Yuna is probably more famous than most accomplished summoners and will receive that much more attention during her pilgrimage. Something that comes with being the high summoner's daughter?"

"High summoner?"

"High Summoner Braska. We just recently received one of his statues for our temple." Wakka explained, the younger blitzer remembering the priest pointing out the intimidating sculpture of the benevolent man. "Braska was victorious against Sin ten years ago and now his daughter shall attempt to do the same. The southern islands recognize Yuna as an extremely gifted summoner, but the entire world expects her to carry on her father's legacy."

"Famous father, huh?" Tidus murmured almost sympathetically. His sapphire eyes moved back over the intrepid summoner and the chaotic jumble of passengers which surrounded her. Although most might have believed that such praise offered inspiration, it could also cause even greater pressure upon the person in question. Someone that found themselves following in the footsteps of another which had achieved such greatness usually meant they were already pressured to succeed. Yuna would receive praise for her own achievements, but there would be those critical wretches that would be compelled to compare them to the legacy that she had inherited. "It's tough, when your father's famous."

"Huh?" the statement confused Wakka, but Tidus decided against explaining himself.

"Wakka's somewhat limited in the imagination department." Lulu interjected from the sidelines, apparently taking the younger man's statement as common sense. Her burgundy eyes acknowledged the sunkissed swordsman with piercing seriousness. "We cannot possibly understand her situation, but we all know that her journey will be most difficult. Make no mistake that we shall handle anybody that attempts to trouble her."

"Hmmm. I'll keep that one in mind." Tidus shrugged.

"I'd suggest that you also mind your manners before Lulu decides that you're one of those problems that needs to be handled." Velkan chuckled from the sidelines, an arrow dropping from his grasp as one slender hand dropped from the spellbinder's side and slapped him upside the head. The archer glanced toward the ominous woman and decided against responding as he recognized the grim warnings upon her beautifully irritated features. Wakka crossed his arms as Velkan searched for an explanation, the command amongst the guardians becoming apparent as he decided against saying anything. One might have thought that he was equally disappointed, but the amused smile on his face said otherwise.

"You're on your own, man." Tidus shrugged before stepping away from the small group, several of the passengers that had been surrounding the summoner turning their attention toward the bickering guardians. Kimahri groaned slightly before following the crowds, glancing slightly toward the newcomer before coming to stand alongside his fellow guardians. From what could be overheard from the sidelines, it seemed that the crowd was more interested in gathering more information on the young summoner than her guardian's immature nonsense. He couldn't keep himself from smiling as the four guardians dismissed themselves to other positions across the moving ferry. The sight of the sorcerous shoving the archer toward the starboard railings and the other two guardians watching with indifference caused it to broaden. His amusement didn't go unnoticed however.

"They're like bickering siblings, aren't they?" Tidus turned from his vantage point to see Yuna casually leaning against one of the powerful harpoon guns that were mounted on the bow of the ship. Tidus was most surprised that she had approached him once more, having seemed much more intimidating with everything he'd learned about her. Her calming presence remained however, making it much less difficult to maintain his composure and chuckle at the comment. Those beautiful eyes, like mismatched gemstones, glanced between the numerous passengers before she stepped back to the front of the ship. The young blitzer followed and joined her in leaning over the railing, the two of them resembling two ordinary people that were watching the world move by.

Tidus looked at Yuna. The passing breeze caused her chocolate strands and ceremonial vestments to dance wildly and the sunlight glistened off the diamond pendant that rested on her collar bone. Her healthy complexion seemed to glow under the burning sun and he could almost feel her own magical powers dripping from her shadow. The rustic silver bracelet which looped around her left wrist became more noticeable as she propped herself against the security railing. The glowing runes promised that the summoner's staff was present in some pocket dimension, although he was convinced that the artifact was something traditional and unworthy of being used against someone. He found himself starring long before she spoke again.

"Have you remembered anything?" the summoner asked without much concern present, bearing the same tone that someone might use when asking about the weather. Her straitheght posture shifted slightly as she leaned back against the railing and seemed to locked her eyes against his own. "Wakka mentioned that you were talking about the Zanarkand when you arrived, something about you being contracted by the Zanarkand Abes. Were you really one of their players?"

"You heard from Wakka...?" Tidus echoed, feeling similar to an animal that had been caught and cornered. He quickly gathered himself and formulated everything before leaning forward on the railing. He forced himself into giving the most genuine expression of distress he could have possibly mustered before attempting further deception. He had thought that he was keeping himself believable, but the summoner had clearly found something to be suspicious about. "You've already seen everything following my exposure to the toxin. There's really no telling what nonsense I might have been babbling at the time. I wouldn't have expected Wakka to have believed it anyway."

"I'm willing to believe you." Yuna responded within the moment, her confident tone almost unnerving as she illustrated her words with hand movements. "I've seen your clothing before and have heard many things regarding the northern sanctuary. Around the center of the ancient city there is a grand stadium, greater than any other the world has ever seen, which holds the greatest blitzball tournaments. The light of the stadium can be seen from miles away and there was never a game where the stands hadn't been sold out."

"How could you know that?" the young blitzer was astonished and it took an incredible amount of willpower to sound inquisitive and not incredibly shocked. The ocean breeze and the burning sun seemed to vanish

"One of my father's guardians told me." Yuna responded. "His name was Jecht."

"Jecht...?" Tidus echoed with the slightest whisper. The spray of the waves, the ocean breeze and the burning sunlight seemed to vanish into obscurity as the young blitzer turned away from the summoner. He stumbled slightly as one hand came against his forehead, his opposite hand clinching tight and trembling at his side. He came to lean back against the railing, battling the unwanted desire to cave into that familiar frustration. He slapped one hand down against the railing before exhaling loudly. He allowed his emotions to speak at this moment, never realizing that he was going against the illusion that he couldn't remember anything. "My father. His name was Jecht."

"I was suspicious that there might be some connection." Yuna admitted before bowing and performing the prayer gesture, somewhat rushed for someone of her religious status. She then walked up alongside him and placed one hand on his shoulder. "Surely, our meeting like this must be the blessing of Yevon."

"I wouldn't get my hopes up." Tidus scoffed as those same painful memories washed across his mind, bearing that same mixture of sadness and frustration. He allowed himself to remain doubtful and immediately formed the assumption that some history must have somehow survived the centuries. "Your father's guardian sounds similar, but he couldn't have possibly been my father."

"What makes you say that?" Yuna asked, confused.

"My old man died sometime ago." Tidus solemnly admitted. "I'm sorry, Yuna, but you must be thinking of another Jecht."

"I'm sorry." Yuna whispered, fearing that she might have really been mistaken.

"Yeah. He went out for training one day and disappeared somewhere off the coast of Zanarkand. We went through three months of searching before someone found his boat shipwrecked on an island in the middle of the ocean." Tidus mournfully explained, his emotions cracking through despite his negative disposition toward his father's memory. There wasn't the slightest doubt in his mind that his father was somewhere at the bottom of the ocean or consumed by the creatures that inhabited it. "Nobody has seen him in over ten years."

"Wait. Ten years ago." Yuna gasped as the realization struck her, warranting the attention of several passengers besides her present company. "That was around the same time that Jecht came to Spira!"

"What are you talking about?" Tidus responded, his voice doubting.

"Jecht was found washed upon the northern shoreline and was imprisoned following his constant claims that he was the star player of the Zanarkand Abes." Yuna explained as several of the passenger came closer, curious regarding the conversation that was going on between the two. "My father believed he was suffering from the toxin, but there were too many memories about the great city to have possibly been lies. He lived with us for several months and became my father's second guardian. The last time we were all together was ten years and three months ago, the evening before my father began his own pilgrimage."

The sheer conviction within the beautiful summoner's words would have been enough to convince anybody and there were too many coincidences to be ignored. He stumbled through ever fiber of his common sense and logical knowledge before coming up without anything to further convince himself that she was mistaken. His memories told him that there was something amiss, but everything else from his heart to his mind told him that it had to have been true. The priestess wouldn't have had any reason to deceive him, despite his extraordinary the subject of their discussion seemed. Tidus found himself with one question remaining which didn't seem to possess an answer from where he was standing. His attention wavered before starring off into the western horizon. "Alright, just assuming that my old man really was your father's guardian. How would he have gotten here from Zanarkand?"

"Tidus Ashtear." Yuna suddenly addressed him using his full name, something which he'd deliberately avoided using during his numerous introductions. The summoner couldn't have possibly acquired such knowledge from anybody he'd encountered since awakening in the mysterious world. He somehow doubted that her mystical talent would have including somehow delving into his mind without his knowing. An the obscure last name couldn't have possibly been some random guess, especially considering that last names seemed uncommon or nonexistent. He slowly turned around to face her before she looked him up and down and placed one hand on his shoulder for emphasis. "You're standing before me, are you not?"

The amateur swordsman was completely dumbfounded in that moment as her mismatched gemstones gazed into his darker sapphires, seeming to promise that everything would make sense. The simplest question brought everything into perspective and the connection of their respective fathers was mindblowing. She couldn't have been deceiving him, he would have never believed that she was even exaggerating anything she'd shared with him. There were countless question racing through his mind as he focused upon her, wanting to know where his father had gone or what he was currently doing. However, something restrained him from speaking as his concentration was suddenly drawn to the ocean an instant before the entire vessel was sent grinding across the waves.

Several of the passengers were toppled by the sudden shockwaves which reverberated through the ocean. The cloth of the numerous sails became strained as the passing breeze became much stronger. The ocean spray clouded the deck with the finest mist and an unimaginable stench which caused one's nostrils to burn. The quick-witted swordsman quickly brought one arm around the railing before snatching the summoner's outstretched forearm, not wanting her to go sliding down the deck. Tidus and Yuna remained locked together for several minutes before the vessel stabilized and Kimahri came to stand alongside the shaken summoner. The other guardians were standing in position across the deck prepared to do whatever was necessary to ensure the ferry reached its destination.

Each of the passengers found themselves shocked when another explosion erupted several meters away from the drifting vessel, spraying salt water across the small population. The aftermath of the misting explosion cleared to reveal an enormous pillar of horribly stained flesh which had emerged from the depths of the ocean. Appearing to be some manner of oversized fin, the countless scales seemed to be crawling across the structure and producing that universal feeling of unease. Tidus Ashtear immediately realized what was before him, cursing his fortune mere seconds before everyone else began panicking and screaming. Several dozen voices resounded in shouting the abomination's name, that simple name which was so horribly appropriate for something so dreadful.

"SIN!"

* * *

Author's Notes: The eleventh chapter proved to be much longer than originally anticipated. There were several elements introduced in this chapter that needed to be addressed and the revised conversations needed to be reworked. I'm probably going to be abusing those books as introduction tools, have Tidus learning something whenever the summoner's entourage is simply traveling through the countryside or something. The introduction of O'aka XXIII was necessary and brought up the subject of money which had been completely forgotten. Kimahri would probably be the one holding their funds, but at the moment they have no obligation to supply necessities to the blitzer. There was some symbolism that could have probably been better with selling the ring, but it works out well enough. The mystical bracelets are an original element developed to explain the numerous cutscenes where weapons just appear in the characters hands, I believe it is acceptable with the garment grid introduced in the sequel. The conversation between Tidus and Yuna was altered to have the summoner seem smarter and less childish than she was in the original game, having her realize the connection between Tidus and Jecht was one example of this. Anyway, next chapter will feature one of the most epic scenes in the game.

You've read, so please review.


	12. Chapter 12

Final Fantasy X: Rebirth  
Chapter Twelve

"I have been cursed." Tidus Ashtear couldn't have drawn another conclusion as he found himself standing aboard the wayward vessel with the merciless destroyer somewhere beneath them. Many would have considered surviving once to have been extremely good fortune, surviving twice would have doubtlessly been looked upon as miraculous. Having managed to survive two encounters with the unstoppable juggernaut, it seemed impossible to be going against the heartless destroyer once more. While everyone found themselves screaming and panicking under the behemoth's presence, the young blitzer somehow remained relatively collected. He honest believed that he might have been cursed. There couldn't have been another explanation and the entire scenario seemed to be too much for chance or coincidence to possibly bring into context. He found himself wondering if there could be some unseen authority twisting his destiny and driving him toward something which would somehow involve the demonic creature called Sin.

The entire ocean seemed to have changed under the presence of the wicked creature. The serene calmness which had been there moments before had become chaotic under blasting winds and spraying mists. The once peaceful waves had become tremendous and mighty, threatening to overtake and capsize the small vessel at any moment. Even somewhere as completely remote as the ocean, Sin managed to bring out the worst possible scenario and establish the terror that doubtlessly gave him power. The hopeless battle which had been wagged against this monster one thousand years ago flashed through the young blitzer's mind. There were several moments of hope amongst the screaming as the towering fin seemed to move foward, not as much attacking the vessel as it was just passing through. Tidus prayed that there would be no reason to provoke the monster, not confident that the third encounter would lead to anything more to an untimely demise.

The numerous passengers gathered around the security railings as the enormous creature passed through, several others seemed to be heading below decks. The guardians seemed to be mobilizing against some potential threat, something more that Tidus wouldn't have the opportunity to ask about. Velkan appeared alongside Kimahri as everyone fought to maintain their balance, the towering guardian assisting the summoner around the harpoon guns. Wakka and Lulu stood amongst the passengers in the attempt to calm everyone down, screaming that their notorious tormentor wasn't aware of their presence. Yuna's optimism seemed to shatter as her beautiful features twisted with righteous indignation before the unstoppable monstrosity, warranted hatred festering before the wretched creature. Tidus remained clueless regarding how her summoning could have stood up against such an opponent, but secured himself in the assumption that it wouldn't be happening anytime soon. He couldn't have been more wrong.

"Move! Get outta the way!" Tidus was more than surprised when one of the numerous passengers suddenly shoved him to the ground and grabbed the handles of the harpoon gun. The moving vessel was rocked by another wave in the same instance, rolling the young blitzer down the deck to slam into the railing. He managed to compose himself just in time to see the man taking aim.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Wakka shouted before lunging forward and grabbing the man around the shoulders, desperately attempting to remove him from the harpoon gun. The opposite islander struggled against the Blitzball Captain while attempting to manipulate the enormous crossbow mounted on the front of the small vessel. Wakka's voice soon went from demanding to desperate, almost pleading for the man not to go through with such foolishness. "You idiot! Putting a harpoon in it will drag us all under!"

"Sin's heading for Kilika! We've gotta distract him!" the determined passenger shouted as he fought to maneuver the harpoon cannon, which was most difficult with the athlete's interference. Wakka seemed to be winning out the struggle, but was soon intercepted by another villager than grabbed him around the neck and tossed him to the ground. Tidus was shocked when two more villagers appeared next to the other oversized crossbow, one of them standing guard while the other prepared the weapon.

"Do you people really think that two harpoons are going to mean anything to that monster?!" Velkan shouted at the passengers, one hand moving to the shortsword sheathed at his left side. Kimahri and Lulu seemed prepared to back the younger guardian against the belligerent passengers, but none of them were prepared to kill the foolish passengers. The summoner seemed to be seething where she stood, both her guardians and the passengers bearing witness to her obvious disapproval.

"Our families are in Kilika! Please forgive us!" the passenger shouted before turning his attention back to the crosshairs and disabling the locking mechanism. Yuna surrendered to the circumstances and nodded softly, knowing that most anyone would have probably done the same in their position. Wakka protests went unheard as the triggers were pulled and two harpoons went sailing over the horizon, the sturdy rope flowing behind the metallic spear. Both of them twisted in the passing breeze as they sailed toward the towering fin of the eternal tormentor, one of them staying on target and digging into the monster flawlessly. The rope tightened and almost immediately the small vessel was rocked across the waves, seemingly unnoticed by the massive abomination.

"This cannot be right! It didn't work!" one of the gunners shouted as their tormentor remained focused on the northern heading, oblivious to the small vessel to was dragging. The distraught villager started panicking before pointing to several harpoons that had been carelessly loaded near one of the support beams. "We're going to need more to get his attention! Go unload those harpoons and..."

The passenger was silenced as Wakka rushed up and caught him in the stomach with one powerful blow, grabbing him and tossing him away from the starboard harpoon gun. The second passenger tossed one punch at the senior blitzer, but soon found himself tossed to the ground next to his partner. The opposite two villagers moved toward Wakka in the next moment, rational thought having been washed away by pumping adrenaline. One of them was dropped to the ground by the pole of Kimahri's hunting spear, an aching lump would greet him once he regained consciousness. Tidus followed suit by grabbed the second villager, dodging an aggressive swing before landing two punches to his stomach before shoving him to the ground. The guardians were relieved when several passengers came out of the woodwork to remove the belligerent passengers below decks.

"What is wrong with people?!" Tidus shouted in exasperation, frustrated that somebody would have actually sacrificed everyone else when their chances of success were nonexistent. He braced himself against the railing as the dragging vessel crashed against another chaotic wave. He gestured toward the harpoon cannon upon recovering himself. "What are we going to do about this?!"

"Alright! We've gotta..." Wakka's prompted orders were suddenly silenced as he looked toward the horizon, dragging everyone's attention to the newest threat. Velkan cursed as several shadows suddenly appeared over the small vessel, coming across as points of darkness upon the polished deck. Their sheer numbers threatened to block out the burning sunshine and the senior blitzer became frozen as several of them splashed down into the water around the vessel. Their familiar features became much more distinct as they descended upon the small vessel with lightning precision.

"Sinscales!" Velkan shouted as several spearhead shaped creatures suddenly struck down into the deck of the dragging vessel, the woodwork splinting under their bladed spines. Tidus gasped as these organic projectiles unfolding themselves to reveal the same insect creatures that had stood against him one thousand years earlier. Those same creepy bustards which had been present during the attack on Zanarkand. Tidus growled as his hand snapped outward and the crystal longsword appeared in his grasp, lashing out and slaying two of them before they could unfold themselves.

"These sinspawn aren't going to stop coming!" Lulu shouted from across the forward deck, several of the skittering creatures being blasted by what appeared to be an aggressive discharge of electricity. Kimahri grunted and roared between fearsome swings of his hunting spear, their shelled opponents being catapulted by his blows. Tidus winced as Yuna swung the emblem of her staff into one of the creatures, the golden symbol emitting some manner of bright light which severely damaged the wicked creatures. Upon finishing off another cluster with an aerial blast of flame, the black mage shouted at her fellow guardians. "The harpoon! Somebody cut the damn rope!"

"Tidus! Follow me!" Velkan shouted before moving toward the harpoon gun, drawing his shortsword and chopping down into the nearest of the shelled insects. Tidus followed suit with the Brotherhood, cleaving through three more with the crystal blade before coming before the harpoon gun. The swordsman twisted himself around toward another handful that approached, borrowing the archer the precious moments he would need. The sounds of the sinscales being slain under the sparkling blade went unheard by Velkan as he moved around the harpoon gun and brought down his shortsword. He was surprised when nothing happened and followed it up with two more ineffective swings before discovering what was wrong. The young archer was furious with the circumstances.

"Chains?!" Velkan shouted upon seeing that there were ropes wrapping around sturdy chains. The harpoons might have appeared to be tethered to standard ropes, but the slender strands had been wrapped to conceal the chains beneath. Velkan's patience weren't assisted by the knowledge that this was an illegal practice. While they might have been much more effective for hunting larger creatures, these sturdy chains couldn't be severed in the event of an emergency. "Those moronic idiots attached those harpoons to chains!"

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Wakka shouted

"Velkan! Cover us! We're moving to higher ground!" Lulu shouted before moving toward the raised platform around the middle of the small vessel, the young summoner trailing behind her. The archer thoughtless moved away from the harpoon gun and followed the two opposite women. Three of the skittering sinspawn screeched before moving to chase them, but tumbled over one another as one was struck down with an arrow. The second was literally nailed to the floor as the third twisted around toward the source just in time to witness the archer rushing forward with another arrow nocked. The bloodthirsty insect snapped at the archer's ankles an instant after the young man jumped over the wretched creature. The surviving monster frantically turned around prepared to resume the attack, but went motionless as an arrow came down through the little creature's skull. In the next moment, the archer had rushed up the staircase and was standing alongside the black mage and the summoner.

While these three took their defensive position above, the lower deck was left to the remaining two guardians and their additional company. The Brotherhood sang against the rushing gales as another sinscale was butchered by the crystal longsword, vanishing in the same manner that their brethren had throughout recent conflicts. Tidus winced as he backed up against Wakka, who was attempting to protect his fellow blitzers as they retreated below decks. The blitzballs that remained nearby proved to be effective at such close range, but couldn't be bounced back under the circumstances. The spectral lights were becoming obstructive as they flowed around the small vessel, which was dragging across the ocean at an unsafe pace. Tidus knew enough about wooden vessels to know that the friction of the waves would tear them apart if they weren't dragged under beforehand. Of course, there was no telling how much longer their small group could hold off against the seemingly endless opponents. Tidus cursed as the towering Kimahri came alongside them, the trio becoming surrounded by the vicious, soulless insects. "You guys have any ideas?"

"Kill." Kimahri snarled.

"I don't know?" Wakka shrugged. "We can try holding our ground and try not to die."

"At least you didn't tell me to pray." Tidus grumbled to himself as another sinscale broke from the ring and jumped toward Wakka. The loyal guardian lashed out his left arm, striking down the little creature before crushing its brittle skull under one stomping sandal. Tidus was becoming panicked, but the next moment brought calm as several shadows suddenly appeared amongst their creepy adversaries. The skittering circle seemed prepared to move in when several swords were unsheathed from behind and brought down upon them. Those aboard shattered as more than half of them were slain within moments by another group of warriors that were even better armed than the guardians. The Crusaders had arrived.

"Don't worry yourself, Wakka. The passengers explained everything." the crimson-haired Luzzu explained whilst passing his auxiliary shortsword to his fellow islander, who gratefully accepted it before falling into stance with the curved blade. The commander of the warriors chuckles before drawing his own weapon, a deadly-looking scimitar which had doubtlessly seen several battles. He smirked over his shoulder as his people began taking up positions around the vessel, striking down the wretched insects within moments of landing. "You didn't think we'd let you guardians have all the fun, did you?"

"Take as much as you want!" Tidus shouted before moving toward the front of the ship, coming alongside the younger Gatta, who was wielding an average-looking spear. The amateur swordsman fell into ranks alongside the intrepid warriors, creating an effective defense against the seemingly endless opponents. Kimahri joined Luzzu in guarding some of the sailors as they fought to regain control of the massive sails. Cutting them loose sent them flying into the breeze and dramatically decreased the resistance of the vessel against the monstrosity pulling them. It wasn't much longer before some of the villagers began emerging from below decks, taking up some of the spare harpoons to join the Crusaders. Wakka ensured that Tidus was handling himself before rushing up the stairs to his other three comrades.

"THUNDRA!" Lulu shouted before several violent lightning bolts assaulted incoming sinspawn several meters above the dragging vessel. The violent attacks shattered them upon impact and their remains drifted into nothingness before coming anywhere close to the ferry. Velkan moved between corners with his hunting bow, the tropical bamboo giving more than enough power to accurately shoot down targets from afar. His effectiveness was lessened by some of the villagers running around frantically with their harpoons, but was still holding his own. Yuna knelt down in the center of the top deck, knowing that her staff and white magics wouldn't have been very useful at the moment. She wasn't pleased with being so helpless.

"We've got thing things cover down here!" Wakka shouted over the gales which drowned out and blended with the sounds of violent combat. "Those sinspawn are going to have a hard time overwhelming us."

"It isn't going to matter unless we can get ourselves loose!" Yuna shouted over the wind, her white-and-blue robes fluttering wildly as the vessel was dragged across the ocean. Her oddly-colored eyes moved between those fighting before and the sturdy harpoon gun that anchored them to their tormentor.

"Sin usually doesn't stay surfaced for very long, so we don't have much time!" Velkan shouted before another arrow cleaved through a renegade sinscale that managed to get onto the central mast. His emerald eyes darted to their black mage. "Lulu, couldn't you just blast the harpoon gun into toothpicks?!"

"That would be a very bad idea!" Yuna countered. "The Crusaders have been very secretive about what they're transporting from the southern islands, but some of the crewmembers were talking about seeing explosive munitions in the secured holds. Should one of Lulu's flame or lightning spells make contact..."

"...We wouldn't even need Sin to sink the damn ship." Wakka grumbled before slapping one fist against the nearby handrails. His attention wavered as Tidus shouted angrily and chopped down on another group of the invading sinscales. Two of the crusaders backed him up and took positions near the bottom of the stairs as their mysterious castaway joined Kimahri toward the rear of the ship. Wakka pointed to the chain "We cannot touch the harpoon gun, so we have two options remaining. We've either gotta get that harpoon loose or we're going to need to cut the chain."

"Lulu, could any of your flame spells hit something at that range." the archer breathed, having drawn his shortsword upon realizing that his arrows were almost depleted.

"My magics aren't that different from your arrows, Velkan." Lulu explained, her low voice hinting that it wouldn't be that simple. "I could probably get pretty close with lower level spells, but it is much harder to control the more powerful destructive magics. There is also taking into account that both our target and our vessel are moving at such high speeds. I would be lucky to hit anywhere near the harpoon."

"Damn it!" Velkan cursed.  
"Yuna cannot summon in such closed quarters and those sinspawn would come at her when they recognized the spirit of an aeon resonating within her." Lulu explained to her fellow guardians as the wretched creatures began coming even faster, the second fin having emerged to launch its own barrage. "Summoning isn't going to be possible with so many of them flying through the air."

"Then we must do something to prevent more of them from coming." Yuna announced before standing to her feet with her ceremonial staff brought over her shoulder. The young woman burned with furious conviction as she turned to her bodyguards. "We must somehow take them down before they can come down upon us. Lulu's black magics would do significant damage, but her wavering accuracy is something we cannot afford. Velkan, weren't you carrying something that could make that work."

"Of course!" the archer suddenly jumped to his feet, sheathing his shortsword and turning to the senior blitzer who seemed confused by the exchange. "Wakka, do you remember that long wooden suitcase that I was carrying earlier? What about the strongbow that Kimahri brought from the temple?"

"Yeah! You dropped them off earlier in our private cabin!" Wakka nodded.

"I need you to retrieve both of them and return here as soon as you can." Velkan explained before knocking and arrow and shooting another sinscale attempting to escape the vengeful soldiers and villagers. "We're also going to need you to send Kimahri. We're going to need his strength."

"No problem, ya!" Wakka shouted before vaulting over the handrails and landing just outside the entrance to the lower decks. The bestial guardian roared before striking down another sinspawn, jumping slightly as the blitzer appeared and tapped him on the shoulder. Tidus was fighting nearby, but didn't seem to notice the senior blitzer. Wakka snapped one thumb in the direction of the others with an ambitious smirk. "The Crusaders will handle things down here! Yuna needs you to get to higher ground!"

Kimahri nodded before hoisting his hunting spear and lunging toward the nearby stairwell. Wakka turned and headed down below decks, stumbling and falling down the stairs as the vessel skipped over some more waves. Wakka pulled himself back to his feet and proceeded down the nearest hallway, weaving around some merchant that was cowering in the corner. Several of the villagers were crowding the hallways holding on for their lives. Some had sealed themselves inside their cabins and others were praying that they would be delivered from the jaws of their tormentor. Wakka ignored them and soon came upon the private cabin offered to the summoner and shoulder rushed through the doorway. Upon entering the small room, he immediately sighted the group's luggage deposited around the two single beds that were being used by Yuna and Lulu. He braced himself in the doorway as he recognized the metallic strongbow and the matching quiver, carrying several longer shafts to accommodate the greater power. As Wakka managed to negotiate the heavy longbow over one shoulder, he noticed Velkan's wooden case sitting on the floor nearby. Without knowledge of what was inside the case, he snatched it up by the iron handle and moved back through the doorway. It must have contained something powerful for his fellow guardians to be sending him on such an errand.

"BLIZZARA!" Lulu's voice cried against the powerful gales.

Wakka grunted as several of the sinspawn were frozen where they stood just outside the entrance, the crusaders struggling to strike them down afterwards. The intrepid soldiers would last much longer and the sinspawn were coming faster and harder from the second fin. The one they were anchored to seemed to have turned grayish, having launched most of the living scale that had covered it minutes earlier. It didn't mean anything however, the sinscales would regenerate within the next hour and their numbers wouldn't outlast another volley. Wakka rushed around the corner and up the staircase where Tidus and Gatta were now standing guard. The young blitzers exchanged the slightest of nods before Wakka galloped up the staircase and tossed the metallic strongbow to the bestial guardian. The blitzball captain could merely watch as the Ronso stepped forward and ripped away the three extended shafts he had been carrying.

"I've got your damn case! What happens next?!" Wakka shouted over the wind and battlecries as Velkan placed the ornate case on the ground and slowly opened it. Spread out within the padded case were several black shafted projectiles decorated with crimson fletchings and topped with crystal arrowheads. These crystal arrowheads were engraved with some manner of glowing emblem which glinted in the burning sunshine. Had Wakka been given more than the slightest glance, he would have noticed that there were several different emblems in the collection. Velkan removed one of the arrows and slammed the case shut, dropping it into one of the holding bins that were present on the viewing deck.

"We're going to be doing some damage." the crystal arrowhead was suddenly pointed toward Lulu, but the seemingly threatening gesture seemed to expect something from the black mage. Yuna breathed in anticipation. "Whenever you're ready, Lulu."

The female guardian breathed deeply and collected herself before bringing her fingers around the crystal arrowhead. The magical essence which surrounded her seemed to fluctuate in that moment as she sent an impulse of flame into the arrowhead. The pointed crystal suddenly glowed furiously as the emblem melted away, a small inferno seeming to have been captured within the arrowhead. The dormant power within had been unsealed by the talented mage, but there was no time to admire the ominous beauty. It was going to be put to use.

"Kimahri!" Velkan gestured with his hand and immediately received one of the longer, sturdier projectiles used by the ancient strongbow. The young archer brought the magical arrow against the thicker shaft and knotted them together, ensuring that the glowing arrowhead would make contact. Wakka found himself unconsciously backing away as the massive guardian took the arrow and knocked the powerful longbow. Kimahri Ronso struggled with the temple's strongbow, his muscular physique trembling as he brought the bowstring back and aimed toward the source of the sinspawn. There would be an opportunity for a second chance, but their regular archer had already explained the value of these arrows. He concentrated on the winds and the movements of the vessel before allowing his hooked claws to release the bowstring.

Over three hundred pounds of bowstring resistance sent the improvised arrow hurtling toward the massive creature, going straight before being caught in the passing breeze. The shaft vanished from eyesight for the slightest second before everyone saw something burst out against the second fin. The next second brought an explosion which ripped into the sinscales that were prepared to launch themselves at the dragging vessel, the flames washing over them and sending them into oblivion. The ocean seemed to grumble with the massive monster's discontent as the flesh smoldered and the sinspawn dropped helplessly into the ocean. The wretched monster had been on the receiving end of the flame arrow, the crystal arrowhead having contained the highest level of flame spells.

"Everyone clear the deck! Yuna's gonna summon!" Wakka shouted as the young summoner raced down the stairway and onto the open ground of the forward deck with her summoning staff prepared. The numerous soldiers and armed villagers took down the last of the sinscales as she performed the prayer gesture and put her rod through several twirls. Those glowing emblems appeared upon the deck of the vessel before flowing up toward the horizon, those four glowing orbs piercing the clouds before something responded. The winged lord of the southern seas appeared overhead, issuing battlecries before descending upon the troubled ferry. Most everyone was surprised when Yuna bolted forward and the mighty aeon skimmed the waves, tracking down the chained rope that anchored them to their monstrous tormentor.

"Lord Valefor! We must break the chain!" one of the passengers cried out to the magnificent monster, having forgotten that summoners communicated through some deeper connection. The aeon already understood what was happening and had probably witnessed more than anyone aboard the dragging vessel. It responded by descending upon the ferry and locking its mighty talons around the harpoon gun, ripping and tearing before breaking it away completely. The motion sent the ferry reeling to the side as the winged lord was dragged through the air in the manner of a child's kite. Eventually dropping the harpoon gun into the ocean and soaring above the surfaced monstrosity.

The numerous passengers and valiant soldiers were cheering as the crew began steering the vessel away from the oceanic battlefield. The summoner and her guardians were relieved, but everyone realized that their savior wasn't finished with its ageless opponent as it continued to give chase. Valefor soared higher than the towering fin before falling into a hovering position, beating those powerful wings every other moment to maintain balance. The ponytail of feathers whipped through the air as the mythical creature gathered energy and an ominous emblem appeared before it, targeting the retreating monstrosity. With everyone aboard the small vessel watching, the winged savior unleashed several blasts of condensed energy upon their horrible tormentor. Both of the towering fins were rocked by magical explosions which ripped off chunks and encouraged the monster to keep moving.

The summoner breathed as her awakening aeon started reverting back into those same glowing spirits, masking the appearance by vanishing into the cotton clouds. The Crusaders began sheathing their weapons and congratulating one another, the immediate danger seeming to have washed over them. The numerous passengers became more excited than one might have expected and in arrogance of their own survival, began shouted derogatory remarks to the retreating tormentor. The wave began churning violently in the very next moment, the demonic creature surfacing completely before submerging back into the depths. Everybody witnessed the armored tail dangling several meters above the water before coming down with incredible force, sending a tidal wave in their direction.

"Hold on to something!" Luzzu screamed as the tidal wave smashed into the drifting vessel and slammed into several people unfortunate enough to be topside. The soldiers and passenger wrapped their arms around the security railings and cargo nets that decorated the main deck. The guardians braced themselves on the raised platform while their bestial comrade rushed to secure the summoner. Tidus found himself on the forward deck at around the same time and had braced himself against one of the nearby lifeboats. When the wave came however, it carried several more of the sinscales which positioned themselves to slam into him. His armored hand moved forward to deflect their snapping pincers, but there was no defense against one tackling him into the ocean and dragging him beneath the waves.

Several moments passed before the oceans became calm and the passengers began emerging from around the weathered vessel, relieved and exhausted in the same instance. Those that looked to the north would see the shadow of their demonic oppressor vanishing into the horizon, moving at speeds which would have been thought impossible. The crusaders were rushing across the deck taking out the handful of sinspawn which had carried by the waves. These sinscales had been swimming around in the ocean, but were completely harmless while closed away in their shells. Within moments they had been wiped out and everything seemed alright, until around the time someone seemed to be missing.

Wakka stumbled around the main deck holding the curved blade downwards, the battlecries of the valiant crusaders echoing into the distance. His brown eyes darted across the deck tracking down his traveling party and anyone else that could have been missing. The summoner and her guardians were all accounted for around the front of the vessel, while Velkan and Lulu remained upon the higher platform. The Besaid Aurochs were coming out from below decks to attend anyone that had been wounded during the struggle. Everyone traveling from his homeland seemed to be present, but that was when he realized that his brother's sword was missing alongside its strange new owner. "Tidus! Where are you?! Tidus!"

"Wakka!" Luzzu shouted, running up with his scimitar and pointing toward the ocean. The small vessel had dropped anchor and was now drifting as their tormentor vanished. The commanding officer breathed before speaking. "Several fiends were washed unto the decks by the waves! Most of them have been struck down, but one of them dragged your friend overboard!"

"Velkan! Tidus went overboard!" Wakka shouted to his younger partner before hoisting the soldier's curved blade and making a beeline for the rear section of the drifting vessel. His opposite hand dropped low in mid-stride to snatch up one of the Blitzballs that somehow remained onboard. He brought the solid sphere against his chest before tossing himself into the foamy waves. "Lord Ohalland! Please guide my feet!"

The summoner and her guardians found themselves on the sidelines as their archer rushed down the staircase and released the belting that supported his bow and quiver. The black mage stumbled slightly as these unfamiliar weapons were haphazardly shoved into her possession and the younger guardian followed the senior blitzer's footsteps. The black mage was already moving to retrieve the wooden case and crystal arrows before the northern guardian reached the back of the ship. The passengers watched in amazement of his courage as he jumped from the handrails and dove down into the calm waves. There was no questioning that there was trouble below, having already drawn his shortsword before making the plunge.

Another sinspawn screeched as the Brotherhood was brought down against its crackling mandibles, the lifeless corpse being pushed away in the next moment. Tidus swung his armored elbow back to meet another one of the creatures responsible for dragging him underwater, breaking the grasp on his shoulder. He wouldn't have still been wearing the bronzed gauntlet had he not been practicing his passable swordsmanship earlier that morning. The third and forth revolved around him before attempting to move forward when suddenly both were dispatched without warning. An ordinary blitzball came hurtling from out of nowhere to hit one and then rebound into the other, the solid rubber sphere crushing their carapaces. The blitzball bounced back off the second one and he instinctively tracked its movements.

Tidus chuckled to himself as the blitzball slapped against Wakka's outstretched hand. Velkan wasn't far behind with his shortsword grasped in his right hand, having ditched his normal weapons back on the ferry. The coach and captain regarded him for a moment before flipped him a thumbs up. There wasn't much more than couple scratches and bruises, the blitzer's durable clothing having withstood the stubby fangs. Seeing that Tidus would live, Velkan gestured back to the ferry and began swimming before another shadow suddenly came upon them.

Tidus brought up his crystal longsword as an enormous sinspawn emerged from the shadows of the deep flanked by more of the folded sinscales. It looked like some manner of mutated jellyfish, bearing an imposing upper body and several powerful tentacles which whipped about. Wakka and Velkan narrowed their eyes upon the mighty creature, immediately recognizing the Sinspawn Echuilles that was bearing down upon them. This was the reason that sailors mounted harpoon guns and offered free passage to the Summoners and the Crusaders. Their tormentor had littered the deepest oceans with these monsters and this one seemed interested in their anchored vessel.

Velkan and Tidus locked eyes and nodded before both swam toward the monster with their blades drawn. The archer moved through the water with purpose and proved himself an accomplished swimmer, but the blitzer boasted speed and agility which almost seemed inhuman. Tidus rushed into the cluster of folding sinscales that surrounded the tentacle-waving monster, one massive slash slaying two caught in their path. Velkan was forced to conduct himself in another manner, floating in one place and wielding his shortsword with an inverted grasp. The one of the sinscales rushed toward him and the pointed steel flashed out, turning the little monster's speed against it as the blade stabbed into its carapace. Velkan moved to join Tidus as the last of the sinscales dissipated into nothingness.

The impulsive blitzer wasted no time in attacking the monstrous jellyfish, swimming up to it with a dolphin's swiftness and cleaving into it with the Brotherhood. Tidus attempted another attack when two tentacles lashed out and sent him flying backwards, a dizzying haze of electricity passing through his body as he floated beneath the waves of several seconds. The monster then lurched forward with two tentacles and whipped them as the blitzer attempted to evade, but both buzzing appendages quickly redirected themselves and put another painful shock through his system. Velkan came alongside Tidus, knowing that another assault could render him unconscious and leave him drifting underwater. Tidus looked back to see what Wakka had been doing this entire time and was confused by what he saw.

Wakka's featured were strained with resolve as both palms wrapped around his blitzball, spiriting energy into the vessel of the rubber sphere. The spiraling energy that revolved around the blitzball glowed a sickly green color which caused the younger men's stomachs to quiver. The blitzball was suddenly brought into one hand and thrust forward, coasting between the swordsman and the archer to strike the massive sinspawn. The creature shrieked as blackness suddenly surrounded the head, the blinding smog was clearly mystical in nature. Those tentacles slashed around the water without direction, feeling around for those that threatened to exterminate the wretches monster. The monster was blinded and it was totally vulnerable.

With an opportunity starring him down, Tidus darted forward with his longsword and carved a bloody trench across the monster's head. It roared in anguish as one tentacle lashed out to wrap around the fleeing blitzballer, the young man's right hand being caught by another tentacle before the crystal blade could do further damage. The monster barely had time to begin squeezing Tidus to death before the archer appeared and drove his shortsword into the restraining tentacle. Tidus moved without thought as the grasp loosened. His armored hand lashed out to draw the young archer's dagger before putting around seven bloody holes into the tentacle that held his arm. Both of them turned loose in the next moment and another rushing motion was made on the creature by both young warriors.

The crystalline blade of the Brotherhood vanished into the jellyfish sinspawn's massive head, the hooked blade ripping into the creature's cranium as it was drawn loose. The archer's steel sword soon came alongside the crystal longsword, drawing more blood as the pointed metal stabbed into the carapace. Slamming their boots and shoes down into the monster's head, they pulled themselves loose and swam away as the monster began to implode. The monster rumbled before exploding outright, sending the three warriors reeling in a shower of those spectral figures. The Brotherhood vanished into the bracelet as Tidus surfaced, breathing deeply and moving to where the other passengers and sailors were helping Wakka back onboard. The crusaders and passengers were cheering, but the sailors were working to get the sails back into working condition. The captain was shouting that they needed to sail for their destination, obviously fearing for the villagers now that the monster was on the move.

The small vessel became consumed in activity in the next several moments. The crusaders returned below decks to secure their mysterious cargo while others remained topside to reassure the panicked passengers. The sailors worked on pulling up the anchor and getting the vessel moving back to the north, each one of them moving with purpose. The passengers and merchants moved to assist whoever they could, those that remained attempted to stand on the sidelines attempting to stay out of the way. The guardians moved to retrieve their scattered belongings, the black mage could be seen returning the archer's weapons and suitcase. The summoner stood toward the front of the vessel looking off into the distance with haunting silence which shattered her normally welcoming nature. The young woman's expression and posture spoke wordless volumes of the darkness that awaited them on the horizon. Tidus could almost feel it himself and he wasn't looking forward to seeing their next destination.

"I must defeat Sin." Yuna swore to herself. "I will defeat Sin!"

* * *

Author's Notes: There were several things that were improvised in this chapter after replaying the scene from the game. The harpoon gun using the rope was pretty noticeable during the cutscene, leaving questions as to why nobody just chopped the rope instead of going through so much trouble pissing off something that could eat them. Velkan's crystal arrows are something designed to further justify the archer's presence, capable of causing massive elemental damage without concentrating time and with much greater accuracy. These arrows are exceedingly rare and require an alchemist and magister to create, you can think of them as the elemental stones used during battles. Wakka's own magical abilities are present, basically using his blitzball to launch contact-sensitive spells, such as blinding and paralysis. I haven't got many ideas concerning the next chapter, although there'll probably be much more tension between Yuna and Donna. The next chapter will probably wrap up everything involving Kilika before moving on.

You've read, so please review.


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